- ISLAMABAD - Tensions with
India are rising by the hour as Pakistan learns of fresh troop movements
ordered by New Delhi, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said on Sunday. Sattar
told APP: "Our anxieties are mounting not only by the day but hours
as we receive information about the movement of Indian forces on the border."
He said it seemed to be preparation for some military action from the Indian
side and that would extremely dangerous given the reality of the situation.
The pace of the build-up gave out very worrying signals and Pakistan, he
said, would have no alternative but to enhance its own presence. Asked
if Pakistan would rule out a first strike nuclear attack, he said Islamabad
"does not want war, local or general, conventional or nuclear".
"The decision lies in the hands of India. If India refrains from resorting
to aggression, there should be no apprehension whatsoever of belligerency
taking place. Pakistan will refrain from any initiative that leads to tension
from breaking into conflict," he said.
Sattar that India had not given any indication it wanted peace. "President
(Pervez) Musharraf has once again said that he is prepared to have a dialogue
with Indian prime minister (Atal Behari Vajpayee) but of course we cannot
have a dialogue as the other side has to be ready for it," he told
CNN in an interview.
"There is no indication so far that the Indian prime minister wants
to work for peace in the region. I am for dialogue and I keep on saying
this and India keeps on rejecting which gives me a feeling that I am begging
to India. If they accept it we do not reject it at all," he said.
To a question about the president's meeting with the leaders of political
leaders in Islamabad on Sunday, he said it was important that the government
should hold consultations in view of the tension obtaining on the border.
Sattar insisted Pakistan had taken substantial steps towards cracking down
on the militant groups whom India accuses of carrying out a bloody raid
on its parliament. Pakistan has frozen the assets of five extremist organisations
and is now awaiting evidence from India before it prosecuted those believed
responsible, he added.
"At the moment, we are hearing accusations from across the border.
We want actionable evidence so that we can begin judicial process. We are
ready to move but you cannot proceed without any evidence," he said.
"I don't think it is appropriate to expect that we should ignore our
legal system totally and act arbitrarily against individuals who are charged
by India without providing any evidence that implicates them, makes them
culpable."
Sattar said that he would attend the Saarc summit in Kathmandu starting
on January 4, and he hoped it would give an "opportunity for talks"
with Indian officials. He said that his Indian counterpart would also be
there and if there was willingness on the other side, it would provide
an opportunity for consultation. He said Pakistan was ready for dialogue
but it required consent on both sides.
To another suggestion made by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee
that Congress President Sonia Gandhi should accompany Vajpayee to the summit,
Mahajan said, "We do not have any objection but the convention and
the system does not allow us to take the leader of the opposition."
Sattar told CNN that terror suspect Osama bin Laden would be handed over
to the US-led coalition if caught on Pakistani soil. "If he tries
to enter Pakistan, he will be arrested and put under detention and investigation
and interrogation will begin," he said. Asked if bin Laden would be
extradited to the United States, he said: "Yes, but to the coalition."
Sattar denied reports that bin Laden was currently hiding in Pakistan.
"There is no information at the disposal of the government, not an
iota of information that should lead to the speculation that Osama or any
of his associates are on Pakistan territory except those who tried to enter
and were apprehended at the border," he said.
"I would think it very far-fetched speculation that Osama had escaped
the dragnet and somehow or other found a way to enter Pakistan. There is
no information whatsoever that suggests that he is in Pakistan." However,
he warned that if tensions with India continued to escalate Pakistan might
have to shift troops to its eastern border. The US fears that any redeployment
by Pakistani forces to counter India's build-up may weaken the watch on
the Afghan border to prevent infiltration.
The News International, Pakistan
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