HVK Archives: Advani asks Pakistan to roll back anti-India policy
Advani asks Pakistan to roll back anti-India policy - The Observer
Observer Political Bureau
()
May 19, 1998
Title: Advani asks Pakistan to roll back anti-India policy
Author: Observer Political Bureau
Publication: The Observer
Date: May 19, 1998
Union Home Minister L K Advani on Monday warned Pakistan to
either adhere to a common pursuit of peace and prosperity in the
Indian subcontinent or be prepared for "costly" consequences.
"Islamabad should realise the change in the geo-strategic
situation in the region and the world, roll back its anti-India
policy especially with regard to Kashmir and join India in the
common pursuit of peace and prosperity in the Indian
subcontinent," he said.
Mr Advani was addressing a joint press conference with Jammu and
Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah after a three-hour-long
high-level meeting held in the North Block to devise a strategy
to tackle militancy in the State.
"India's bold and decisive step to become a nuclear weapons State
has brought about a qualitatively new stage in Indo-Pak
relations, particularly in finding a lasting solution to
the Kashmir problem. Specifically, it signifies, even while
adhering to the principle of no fist strike, India's resolve to
deal firmly and strongly with Pakistan's hostile designs and
activities in Kashmir," said Mr Advani.
Announcing the formation of a small group to ensure the three-
fold objective of dealing effectively with the "proxy war"
unleashed by Pakistan, to promote the welfare of the people of
the State and to sort out resettlement problem of migrants, the
Home Minister informed mediapersons that it was agreed in the
meeting to set up a small group with Special Secretary J&K
affairs as its convenor with representatives from the army, State
police. paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies to of into
issues in detail and formulate an action plan for tackling
militancy.
The meeting, which was attended by Defence Minister George
Fernandes, State Governor G C Saxena, Chief Minister Farooq
Abdullah, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the
Cabinet Secretary, the Chief of Army Staff, Union Home Secretary,
Defence Secretary, State Chief Secretary besides top
functionaries of the MHA, MOD, DJKA, State Government, army and
Central Paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies, reviewed
the prevailing security situation in the State including the role
of Pak-sponsored insurgency being sustained by foreign
mercenaries Also describing the trouble in Kashmir as a proxy was
unleashed by Pakistan, Dr Abdullah said that akistan continues
to send its people who are now trained and basically Punjabis,
>from POK and Afghanistan and therefore it was important for the
Defence Minister, the Home Minister and myself to sit and see as
to how Pakistan can be defeated in its purpose of annexing
Kashmir.
Recalling India's first nuclear explosion in 1974, Dr Abdullah
asserted that hough it in international quarters it was
described as a bomb against Pakistan, India never tried to take
away their territory.
Describing Kashmir as a national problem, Dr Abdullah said that
what he meant was ot actually to attack anyone but certainly to
be prepared for every eventuality.
Replying to questing as to whether there was also interference of
the Taliban in Kashmir, Mr Advani said that there were Afghan
nationals who have been sent as mercenaries.
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