Pakistan has accepted Indian proposal to reopen the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar road for the 'twice a month' bus service after consultation with the Kashmiri leaders on both sides of the Line of Control, Foreign Office spokesman told media here on Monday. At his weekly briefing, Jalil Abbas Jilani said that Pakistan has agreed to the suggestion, after it was endorsed by an overwhelming majority of leaders of Occupied Kashmir.
His attention was drawn to a statement by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Ali Shah Gilani who had expressed fear that the bus service would sideline the basics of the Kashmir issue and might make the LoC a permanent boundary.
He did not agree with the suggestion as "the Line of Control was a problem and it could not be a solution". Hence, the LoC, he added, could never be a permanent boundary
Jilani said Ali Shah is held in high esteem in Pakistan for his commitment to the Kashmir cause and devotion of his life to gain the right of self-determination of his people. But the decision to reopen the route was taken in consultation with all sections of the APHC.
The bus service, he said, would alleviate some of the problems faced by the Kashmiris.
About F-16s, Jilani said that the US decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan was a commercial deal and issues like price, delivery time etc have to be worked out by officials of both Pakistan and US. He said that the decision about sale of the aircraft spoke of a change in the American attitude towards Pakistan's defence needs and was thus a "positive step" in their relationship. Pakistan is satisfied with the present trends, he added.
"This is the kind of relationship which Islamabad wants to see, with Washington, and is a move in a positive direction," he observed.
He said that Siachin glacier was a disputed issue as Indians had occupied it in 1984 in violation of Simla Agreement, and now it is one of the questions to be sorted out under the Composite Dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.
The Indians, even at the level of their Prime Minister, had agreed to vacate the area by reverting their troops to the positions they were at the time of Simla Agreement, he said.
Pakistani seeks implementation of that agreement, which was signed by Defence Secretaries of the two countries, and hence "there is no question" of Islamabad authenticating the present position as demanded by India, he stressed.
When asked about the visit of Shujaat Hussain to India, the spokesman said that the president of Pakistan Muslim League had been invited by Indian leadership and it was not a trip sponsored by Pakistan government. He said he could not say who would "foot the bill", and added that he would have to find it out for the questioner.
He said that no date for Saarc Summit had been decided. He said that last month Islamabad had proposed a timeframe for the summit and all the preparatory meetings which precede it, but so far no reply has been received. He said the suggestions were also communicated to India.
About South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta), Jilani said that Committee of Experts had cleared most of the issues and it now awaited the summit to finalise the agreement.
Earlier, Jilani read out official reaction to UN Secretary General's suggested reforms and measures to activate the world body.
Pakistan, he said, supported steps proposed to strengthen the role and mandate of the International Court of Justice, and also for a Peace-Building Commission, but looked forward to further discussions on latter's mandate, composition and precise functions.
The statement said: Pakistan's first priority in the United Nations is to advance the goals of economic and social development. We welcome the recommendations in the Secretary-General's Report on implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Similarly, concrete decisions would be required on the issues of international trade and on systemic reform of the international economic and financial system to achieve the internationally agreed development goals. Pakistan also welcomes the proposal of a Peace-Building Commission and looks forward to further discussions on its mandate, composition and precise functions. It also supports the proposed creation of strategic reserves for United Nations peacekeeping.
We agree with the Secretary-General's recommendation calling for strengthening the role and mandate of the International Court of Justice in adjudicating disputes among countries. Pakistan regards revitalisation of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) as an integral part of the UN reform process. Issues such as 'use of force', 'definition of terrorism' and so-called 'Responsibility to Protect' would require painstaking negotiations. All efforts should be made to achieve widest possible consensus within the United Nations General Assembly.
Our position on the proposed reform and expansion of the Security Council has been presented on several occasions in the past. Pakistan supports a comprehensive reform of the Security Council. We believe that reform of the Council should be undertaken with the widest possible consensus to avoid further division and politicisation of the United Nations. There should not be any arbitrary deadlines; the issue is too important. More importantly, the already existing inequities in the UN Security Council should not be reinforced buy expanding centres of privilege in the permanent category.
Pakistan hopes that the September Summit will be able to adopt important decisions on peace and security, development as well as the consequent reforms in the United Nations system. It is most important to undertake painstaking negotiations with a view to achieving the broadest possible consensus on the broadest possible number of issues required to revitalise the United Nations.
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