...
...
Next Story

Pak rules out unilateral troops' withdrawal

Pakistan on Monday ruled out unilateral withdrawal of troops from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Updated on: Jan 09, 2006 09:34 PM IST
PTI | By , Islamabad
Prefer HTon Google
Advertisement

Pakistan on Monday ruled out unilateral withdrawal of troops from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

HT Image
HT Image

It also said the future of Indo-Pak dialogue process was not "bleak" in the wake of India's rejection of its suggestion to pull out troops from three cities in the Valley.

As a result of India's rejection of President Pervez Musharraf's suggestion to India to pull out the army from Srinagar, Kupwara and Baramulla, Pakistan too will not unilaterally withdraw troops from PoK, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.

"Certainly let me put it on record that there will be no unilateral demilitarisation," she said clarifying remarks made by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurishd M Kasuri on Sunday that Pakistan was ready to pull out troops from PoK.

Kasuri while elaborating on Musharraf comment's made in a TV interview told BBC that while Pakistan was willing to pull out troops from PoK, it wants the entire region to be demilitarised by both India and Pakistan.

Kasuri said Musharraf's comments should be seen as an advice. He said India "as usual" did not react favourably to the advice, which was not conducive to better relations between both the countries.

"There is no foreign policy failure here. We would have liked to see the peace process move more quickly. It is not moving at the pace we would have desired, but at the same time while we have expressed our disappointment it is not all bleak," she said.

 
Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.
Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON