NEW DELHI, 4 February — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ruled out any dialogue with Pakistan before democracy was restored in that country.
Addressing a public meeting in Patna, Vajpayee said since a general was at the helm of affairs in army-ruled Pakistan, no meaningful dialogue was possible with the present rulers of that country who had no faith in democratic values.
Later talking to reporters, Vajpayee said the issue of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir should be discussed first in any talks with Pakistan. He said while it might not be a precondition to any dialogue, it would be certainly on the top of the agenda.
Describing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s remarks that the issue of Kashmir was in his blood as "mere muscle flexing", Vajpayee said New Delhi refrained from such postures.
Vajpayee said while Delhi wanted friendly ties with Islamabad such a relations could not be on a "single track" without any reciprocation from the other side.
He said India would closely watch whether Pakistan adhered to its pledges of keeping away from terrorist acts and assurances of taking action against terrorists.
Vajpayee said the de facto border dividing Indian and Pakistani Kashmir will not be converted into a permanent border to settle the Kashmir dispute.
"There is no question of entering into such an agreement," he said. Vajpayee also accused Pakistan of forcing the nuclear rivals into an arms. "We don’t want to engage in an arms race. But when the actions of Pakistan are in bad faith, the country would protect its sovereignty even at the cost of everyone going hungry," Vajpayee said.
Meanwhile, 13 activists and two soldiers were killed in gunbattles in Kashmir while another person was injured as India and Pakistan exchanged fire across their border, police said yesterday.
The security forces shot dead three unidentified activists on Sunday in a gunbattle near Tral area of Pulwama district south of Srinagar, police said. In the neighboring area of Kokernag a soldier and two activists were killed in another gunbattle later yesterday, police said. "Further details are awaited," a police spokesman said.
In another incident, security forces surrounded a mosque in Kashmir state where at least two activists were believed to be hiding. "During a cordon and search operation at Tarzoo area two militants barricaded themselves in a mosque. Security forces have laid siege to the entire area including the mosque," a police official said.
"We are trying to motivate them to come out of the mosque. So far there has been no exchange of fire". Police said security forces shot dead two activists belonging to pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahedeen yesterday in Udhampur district.
