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Ceasefire extension offer conditional

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's offer of a month-long extension of the Ramzan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir is conditional to Pakistan giving concrete proof that it will stop cross-border terrorism if dialogue with it is to commence, a top official of the ministry of external affairs clarified Monday night.

"Vajpayee has given Pakistan a good opportunity and ample time to hold dialogue for the (peaceful solution of) the Kashmir issue by declaring a unilateral ceasefire. His demand that it should create a conducive atmosphere for the purpose translates into genuine proof that it will stop cross-border terrorism, which has been hindering the talks," the official told rediff.com.

He said that despite a "grave provocation'' reflected in the militants' continued attacks, the prime minister was determined "to give peace a chance'' and this is why he instructed the security forces in J&K to maintain restraint.

The ceasefire should be utilised by Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism, which will enable parties involved to come to the negotiating table, he pointed out.

Referring to Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Salim Hashmi's statement that his organisation would continue attacks on Indian security forces despite the ceasefire, the official pointed out that Islamabad could, if it desired, have used its clout with the Hizb and other militants group to stop the violence so that dialogue could take place.

The Hizb spokesman has merely parroted Pakistan's longstanding line - that New Delhi drastically cut down the presence of its security forces in the state, include the All Party Hurriyat Conference in the "tripartite talks'' and stop action on Kashmiris.

"The Pakistan Government can reciprocate our gesture of the unilateral ceasefire and give proof that it will end cross-border terrorism which is hindering dialogue," the official pointed out.

That Vajpayee's ceasefire has caught the Pakistani establishment by surprise is evident in its foreign secretary Inam Ul-Haq declaring "maximum restraint'' by its armed forces along the Line of Control in J&K.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar was on Sunday constrained to state that his country was not under external pressure to reciprocate New Delhi's peace offer.

However, facts prove otherwise.

According to the official, Pakistan has repeatedly been warned by international lending agencies like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund that unless it takes concrete measures to improve its ravaged economy, funds will stop coming in.

However, the government of General Pervez Musharraf has spurned New Delhi's offer for talks on Kashmir and continued pushing armed infiltrators beyond the LoC into J&K . In the bargain, it is spending millions of dollars, which is "highly avoidable" the official stressed.

He hinted that, as acknowledged by the international community, Pakistan had to give a cogent reply to Vajpayee's initiative if it was not to be seen as an obstinate and hostile country. And the prime minister's month-long ceasefire was sufficient time for the establishment in Islamabad to make up its mind what, the official pointed out.

Contending that the Vajpayee government had kept an open mind, he said Union Home Minister L K Advani and Union Defence Minister George Fernandes had echoed Vajpayee's views.

Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, chief of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, welcomed the recent stand adopted by New Delhi and Islamabad to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.

However, India's insistence that Pakistan create a conducive atmosphere for the ceasefire in J&K to be extended has indicated that much groundwork is needed.

Complete coverage of J&K ceasefire

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