India has not militarised Kashmir:Pranab

Shimla, Jun 3 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today dismissed Pakistan's charge that India had heavily militarised Jammu and Kashmir, saying security forces in the troubled state were trying to restore normalcy.

''I don't agree with suggestions that there is militarisation in Kashmir. Security forces and law enforcing agencies are maintaining law and order in the state,'' he told reporters after addressing the concluding session of a two-day conference 'Towards South Asian unity', organised by the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA).

Mr Mukherjee said the committee set up by the centre in April to consider the demand for reduction in troops in the state was doing its job.

Pakistan has been claiming that India has posted some 7,00,000 troops in Jammu and Kashmir insisting that their strength be reduced.

Asked whether India and Pakistan were close to finding a solution to the Kashmir issue, he said the two countries were holding discussions on various outstanding issues within the framework of the composite dialogue process. Three rounds of talks had already been concluded and the fourth was now in progress. ''I do hope that we will be able to resolve'' the Kashmir issue, he added.

Meanwhile, he noted that the two countries were undertaking significant confidence building measures, like the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and strengthening of air links between them.

On his recent talks with his Pakistani counterpart in Germany recently on the sidelines of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), Mr Mukherjee said there were no formal discussions between them, though they did interact on quite a few occasions.

He complimented the SAFMA for organising the conference of Parliamentarians, saying such meetings provided an opportunity for informal discussions among SAARC countries without any official restrictions.

He was of the view that there should be regular interactions among Paliamentarians, journalists and civil society from SAARC countries as they truly represented public opinion.

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