ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has assured India that it would “most carefully “examine a dossier, which India says, contains fresh evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in militant activities in Kashmir and Punjab, foreign secretary Tanvir Ahmad Khan told newsmen, PTI reports.

The dossier, giving details of training camps in Pakistan, confessions by persons arrested of receiving arms and training in this country and types of weapons seized from persons while crossing the borders, was handed over by Indian foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey to his Pakistani counterpart.

Responding to a question at Islamabad airport, Khan said “we do not believe in violence or use of force for settling political disputes and differences.”

Talking separately to reporters shortly before his departure for Delhi, Dubey said India had given massive evidence of Pakistan’s hand in aiding and abetting secessionists in the valley. The evidence was “irrefutable” and “incontrovertible”, he added.

Before the recent meeting, the Pakistan foreign secretary had said that India had not given a shred of evidence to substantiate its allegations, which he had described as “baseless”.

Dubey said ‘he felt that both sides had been able to get a better understanding of each other’s perceptions on various issues coming in the way of improving bilateral relations.

He described the first round of talks as an “important first step”. The two foreign secretaries are scheduled to meet again in New Delhi on August 9 and 10.

Asked about Pakistan’s insistence of pullback of troops to peacetime locations before a meaningful start to confidence building measures, he said the issue was under discussion. “I do not want to preempt future discussions” by getting into any controversy.

About the possibility of an IndoPak war, he said “there is no risk at all there never was any.”

Replying to a question, Khan said the talks had been “useful” and a good beginning had been made. He, however, added “we still have a long way to go.”

ISLAMABAD: The IndoPak foreign secretaries’ talks began here Wednesday with India expressing concern over Pakistan’s interference in Punjab and Kashmir.

“We must make every effort to remove sources of conflict and confrontation”, Indian foreign secretary Mukch and Dubey said.

India and Pakistan, he said, were fortunate that the Shimla Agreement had norms and a framework for conduct of relations, which had provided two decades of peace and stability.

“The lessons of the events and the experiences leading up to the signing of the Shimla agreement and the context in which the agreement was signed would be relevant as we make efforts to forge ahead.

“The government of India considered the agreement as the basis for and the means of addressing our genuine concerns,” he said.

Dubey said the present negative trends in bilateral relations should be arrested. “We have always believed in keeping doors to bilateral negotiations open”, he added.

Since the parleys were being held without any prearranged agenda, the two delegations began the first round of talks outlining issues that had to be discussed.

Official sources said there was an exchange of general ideas on the confidence building measures proposed by India to ease tension between the two countries.

The Pakistani sided stated it wished to add some suggestions to the measures proposed by India.

The Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, J N Dixit, joint secretary in the external affairs ministry, Naresh Dayal, deputy secretary, Arun Singh, are members of the Indian delegation.

The Pakistani delegation included Mujahids Husain, and Khalid Mahmud, both additional secretaries in the foreign office, the director general (South Asia), Aziz Khan, and director (India), Shahid Kamal.

Pakistan’s approach to discussions was clearly indicated by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto when she stated that all aspects of the Kashmir issue would be raised by Pakistan during the current parleys.

Islamabad has maintained that the Kashmir issue can be resolved only through a plebiscite held under U N resolutions. It has also accused India of resorting to harsh measures in the valley. India has however asserted that J and K was its integral Part, blamed Pakistan for aiding and abetting militants in the valley and asked it to stop such blatant interference.

Both countries have expressed optimism over the outcome of the two day discussions.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 27, 1990