ISLAMABAD: Foreign minister Sahabzada Yaqub Khan Sunday denied reports that the Pakistani army had been put on “high alert” along the ceasefire line in Jammu and Kashmir and said that there was no report of intensified troop movement on the Indian side.

The foreign minister stressed his country ‘was “keen” to avoid any “conflict, confrontation or war” with India.

Responding to questions at a press conference this evening, he said,” ‘such an eventuality is one which Pakistan would like to prevent.”

“We believe India is equally keen to avoid confrontation,” he said and added “there are no alarming reports of Indian troop movement” along the line of control.

The press conference jointly addressed by the foreign minister and the information and broadcasting minister, Mr. Ahmad Saeed Awan, was called to inform the press about the six hour briefing at the foreign office to leaders of the combined opposition parties on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who flew to the capital from Karachi Saturday night to chair the meeting, was advised by doctors to take complete rest. Doctors said she was “medically unfit” to attend the meeting, Awan said.

‘Asked by a reporter whether the army had been put on high alert following the developments in Kashmir, Yaqub Khan said, “The army has not been put on high alert,” and added “I refuse to be drawn any further on this question”.

‘On whether Pakistan proposed to rise the Kashmir issues in the United Nations, he said, “the option is always open to us as it is to any member of the UN under the UN chartger.” “I cannot comment on what stage we have arrived,” he said.

Referring to his recent visit to Delhi, Khan said both India and Pakistan had agreed to keep the channels of communication open to avert any misunderstanding that could lead to confrontation. This was however without prejudice to “our unambiguous stand on Kashmir.” he said.

He said there was no change in the schedule of official levels discussions on a variety of issues between the two countries.

The foreign minister refuted reports that there had been a “lukewarm” response from the Arab countries to the Kashmir issue and claimed there was “deep sympathy from all countries for the Kashmir cause.” He said Pakistan was in touch with the OIC on considering the best ways to project the issue.” “We have not yet reached a conclusive stage” he said.

Pakistan he said had approached a number of countries including China to explain its stand on the issue.

New Delhi has charged Islamabad with supporting secessionist militants in Kashmir and interfering in its internal affairs, a charge repeatedly denied by Pakistan.

‘Asked whether the people of Pakistan ‘occupied Kashmir would be allowed to raise the Kashmir issue at international for a, Yaqub Khan said this was not being considered by the Pakistan government. In any case, the Pakistan government was giving “high priority” to the issue, he said.

He disagreed with the view that an all meeting party of the kind of government had convened could “inflame” the already “volatile” solution in Kashmir.

Earlier addressing the meeting, Begum Nosrat Bhutto said Pakistan’s position on Kashmir remained unequivocal and steadfast that Jammu and Kashmir was a “disputed territory” and only a plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations could resolve the issue.

Commenting on the meeting, Baluchistan Chief Minister Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti said, “I have not become any wiser nothing new has come out of it (meeting).”

Punjab Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif said it was a “good effort” on the part of the government.

Besides the chief ministers of four provinces the meeting was attended by the prime minister of the Azad Kashmir Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, leader of the combined opposition parties in parliament, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Syeda Abida Hussain, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Chaudhury Shujaat Hussdain, Aminul Huq and other opposition leaders.

‘Among the federal ministers present at the meeting were Yaqub Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan, Ghulam Sarwar Cheema and Tariq Reahim.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 16, 1990