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Pakistan Says Kashmiris Should Be Allowed to Cross Line of Control

Posted on: Monday, 7 November 2005, 12:00 CST

Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency

Islamabad, 7 November: Pakistan Monday [7 November] said it would make all efforts to facilitate Kashmiri people living on either side of the Line of Control (LoC) to meet and help each other in relief assistance in the quake-hit areas.

"Kashmiris should be allowed to cross over the LoC without hindrance and cumbersome procedure," Foreign Office spokesperson, Tasneem Aslam told a weekly press briefing.

Responding to a question, she said, Pakistan has not received any list of intending travellers from India but assured it would be processed as soon as it was received so that people from the Indian Occupied Kashmir come over here as soon as possible.

"There is no hindrances from Pakistan," she said and added Pakistan would do it in the spirit of President General Pervez Musharraf's proposal to facilitate the Kashmiris to meet and help each other in this difficult time. Ms Aslam, to a question, said Pakistan had originally proposed to allow all Kashmiris who have any valid identity or certificate from the authorities to facilitate them meet and help each other following 8 October quake.

But, India did not agree to it and finally it was decided to adopt the procedure followed for Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service, she added.

She said despite widespread devastation, Pakistani authorities worked day and night to ensure five points of crossing were ready for travelling, besides ensuring their safety and security for travel.

However, the spokesperson said, Indian side informed Pakistan on Sunday that they would be able to open just one point that had been opened today.

The spokesperson said the Indian authorities said they would open two more points on 9 and 10 November and would convey opening of the remaining two points when they were ready.

"We hope they (India) will be able to open all points as soon as they are ready, I think basically there are problems of logistics or de-mining," she added. Asked why no one crossed over the point on the opening day, she pointed that perhaps the exact information takes time to trickle down.

The spokesperson said people did not understand they would need papers to cross over as they just gathered at the LoC just to walk across without required application form and clearance. Responding to a query the spokesperson said according to the understanding five point openings were meant for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC and not for nationals of Pakistan and India.

Similarly, she said there was no agreement to allow trucks to cross over. The agreement was aimed at facilitating people to cross and meet each other.

As for relief goods, she added, these were to be handed over to the local authorities at these points for onward distribution.

She clarified that even those who have availed the bus service, will have to go through formalities again if they wish to undertake travel to the other side.

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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