ISLAMABAD, 13 September 2003 — Pakistan yesterday told the United States that there was no terrorism emanating from its soil or any infiltration of militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir from within its borders.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated Pakistan’s stand to AFP in response to remarks made by US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca in New Delhi on Thursday. Rocca told a business conference in New Delhi that “cross border infiltration remains a very important issue on our agenda with Pakistan”.
She said Pakistan was in the midst of a major political, economic and ideological transformation and should be “assisted to achieve a soft landing that corrects disturbing internal trends, realigns its direction as a moderate Muslim state and defeats definitively all terrorism emanating from its soil.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan expressed surprise at Rocca’s remarks and noted that Pakistan’s role in fighting international terrorism had been commended.
“There is no terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil,” Khan said. “Pakistan is in the forefront of the war against terrorism and in this regard US President George W. Bush, in his telephone conversation with President (Pervez) Musharraf only recently, commended Pakistan’s role.”
“Pakistan is not backing any cross-border movement. The president of Pakistan has offered a cease-fire along the LOC (Line of Control dividing Kashmir) and suggested ways to address violence in Kashmir. India has rejected these proposals.”
Khan said Indian security forces were committing “gross and massive human rights violations and atrocities against Kashmiri civilians”. “Not to refer to Indian sponsored repression in Kashmir is a glaring omission” by the US official, he said.
Khan urged the superpower to persuade India to “end its repression in the occupied Kashmir” and to resume dialogue with Pakistan, without further delay.
Karzai Criticizes Pakistani
Clergymen
Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday criticized Pakistani clergy for inciting young Afghans studying at religious schools in Pakistan to fight against his government.
Addressing 100 Afghan religious scholars at the mosque in the presidential palace, Karzai demanded the clergymen negotiate with Pakistani religious people to resolve the issue, adding: “This is our national and religious responsibility.”
Karzai also spoke of an amnesty for innocent Taleban members, saying: “This the right of those Taleban who never tortured people to have a respectful life and live in their own country. They should return to their home.”
Karzai expressed regret at the deaths of 200 Taleban fighters who were killed in the southern province of Zabul in the past month. “Two hundred people who were killed in Zabul province were all Afghans,” Karzai said.
