No role for Pakistan: PM

NEW DELHI, AUG. 6. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today firmly ruled out the involvement of Pakistan in the on- going peace talks between the Government and the Hizbul Mujahideen on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. hamare aur hizbul ke beech mein kisi aur ki avashyakta nahin hai (there is no need for anyone else to come in the talks between the Centre and the Hizbul), he told reporters after addressing a Sant Goswami Tulsidas Jayanti function here.

He was specially asked about the militant outfit chief, Syed Salahuddin's statement in Islamabad in which he asked India to get into tripartite talks to resolve the Kashmir issue, saying New Delhi should not waste the `golden opportunity' provided by its declaration of unilateral ceasefire.

Mr. Vajpayee, who had on a visit to Pahalgam earlier this week asked other militant groups to come forward for parleys, made it clear that the Government would continue the peace process. hizbul ke saath baat zari rakhna hai (we will continue our talks with Hizbul), he said.

- PTI

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