The Hindu : Pak. welcomes KC panel initiative with a rider

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2002

International

International

Pak. welcomes KC panel initiative with a rider

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD SEPT. 9. The Pakistan National Kashmir Committee (PNKC) has welcomed the request of the Jethmalani Committee on Kashmir to the Indian Government to allow the All-Party Hurriyat Conference leaders to travel to Pakistan for consultations.

``The decision is perfectly fine with us. We are ready to meet the Hurriyat leaders anywhere to discuss a comprehensive peace process to resolve the Kashmir issue," the PNKC chairman, Abdul Qayyum Khan, said here today.

However, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, was cautious when asked for his comments. "We have taken note of the developments. We certainly appreciate the proposal for a peaceful negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue."

At the weekly briefing, Mr. Khan was at pains to emphasise that unlike the Pakistan Kashmir Committee, the Jethmalani Committee was a private initiative. "Let us see the reaction of the Indian Government to the proposals of the Jethmalani Committee. We believe the Kashmir issue could be resolved only through dialogue between India and Pakistan with representation to the Hurriyat."

Asked about the decision of the Pakistan Committee to nominate Azmal Khattak to visit India to explore the possibility of dialogue between India and Pakistan, Mr. Aziz Khan said that the Government was not aware of any such move.

The PNKC chairman on his part said that Mr. Khattak has not applied for Indian visa so far as there were no positive indications from India. Mr. Qayyum also made it a point to mention that he still was not sure of its status of the Jethmalani Committee.

"The Indian Committee is made of eminent people. But we are not sure of its status. Is it backed by the Indian Government or is it an NGO? The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has appointed my Committee and me.

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