India won't compromise on sovereignty over J&K

The government said on Thursday that Pakistan has made several proposals for resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue, including its joint management. However, it was made clear that there can be no compromise on the sovereignty of India over the state of Jammu and Kashmir and India's unity.

"Concepts such as joint control or joint management of Jammu and Kashmir, proposed by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, cannot be the basis of a settlement of the issue because the state is an integral part of India. There can be no compromise on the sovereignty of India over the state of Jammu and Kashmir and on India's unity," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

He said India has conveyed to Pakistan, at the highest level, that the dialogue process between the two countries would be undermined unless Pakistan takes effective action to disnmantle the infrastructure of terrorism.

These would include training camps, launch pads and communication links between terrorist groups on Indian side and their handlers on the Pakistan side.

Pakistan, Ahamed said, needs to take these steps in fulfilment of the commitment given by it in the joint press statement of January 6, 2004 that it would not permit any territory under its control to be used to support terrorism in any manner.

He also informed the House that there are reportedly 52 terrorist training camps in Pakistan and POK.

To another question, Ahamed said India has not offered to Pakistan to restore Jammu and Kashmir to pre-1953 status.

Ahamed said Indian insurgent groups continue to misuse Bangladeshi territory for sanctuary, training camps, transportation of arms, and transit.

These insurgents are being supported by intelligence agencies, both civilian and military, of Bangladesh.

A list of 172 Indian insurgent group camps and 307 criminals/insurgents was handed over during the DG-level Border Security Force-Bangladesh Rifles talks held in September-October, 2005, he said.

The Minister further informed the House that Pakistan has continued raising the Kashmir issue at various international fora.

In reply to another question, Ahamed said there was no definitive information on the size of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. However, he said the US-based non-governmental Institute for Science and International Security, in a report, has stated that Pakistan was making a second heavy water production reactor, which was capable of producing enough plutonium for 40-50 nuclear weapns a year.

He said India has conveyed to Pakistan its protests against the proposed construction of Basha Dam in territory that is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India.