ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Moeen Qureshi claims that Islamabad has been “so weakened” by actions like the Pressler Amendment, under which Washington Suspended military and economic aid in Oct.1990, that it now sees the nuclear deterrent as the “only means possible” to ensure its security.
Describing Kashmir as a “potential flashpoint” where the two countries’ armies are arrayed against each other, Qureshi said that there was a definite link between the Kashmiri issue and Islamabad’s desire to have a nuclear deterrent.
“If this (Kashmir) issue is not resolved, it could trigger conflict between the two with terrible consequences for the region. That is why Kashmir is inextricably linked to nonproliferation and the easing of tension in the region,” he said.
Rejecting press reports that he could consider some kind of an “anonymous” Kashmir, Qureshi said: “Pakistan wants to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the right of self-determination of the Kashmir people and in line with the UN resolutions. However, we are flexible in that we are prepared to sit down and discuss the issue, provided the principle of self-determination is central to such discussions.”
Qureshi, who has the mandate to head the Government till national and provincial Assembly polls are held in October, said that he alleged human rights relations in Kashmir should stop so that the atmosphere could improve and the two countries could sit down and discuss the issue. “At the moment there is no room to even talk if this State of affairs continues,” he added.
Qureshi, who recently said Pakistan had the capacity of manufacture a nuclear device whenever required, wanted Washington to play an active role and use its influence to achieve and maintain peace in South Asia.
He said that the Pressler Amendment worked entirely in the “opposite direction. Because it targeted Pakistan alone.” NEW DELHI, AUG, 13(PTI): A Kashmin Hindu migrant delegation will meet Indian premier P.V.Narasimha Rao, by month end to discuss the various problems being faced by them.
This was stated by the state Congress (I) president, Ghulam Rasool Kar, who led a PCC (I) delegation which called on the Prime Minister Thursday night. During the meeting Kar said the P.M. had expressed his keenness to meet the Kashmir immigrant leaders to sort out difficulties being faced by them.
Meanwhile, over 40 representatives of prominent Kashmir immigrant organizations from all over the country met here Friday to chalk out an action program for implementation of their demands and to discuss the invitation of the P.M. for talks.
Though the delegations representing various Kashmiri migrant Organizations like the Panun Kashmir, all state Kashmiri Pandit conference in Jammu, Kashmir Sahita Samiti, All India Kashmir Samaj migrant cell, and the Kashmiri Pandit associations of Bombay, Madras and other places were light lipped, they made it clear that they were all in favor of meeting with the P.M., but only as representatives of their respective migrant organizations.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 20, 1993
