Pak rules out unilateral demilitarisation in Kashmir

Islamabad, June 11: Pakistan has ruled out possibility of unilateral demilitarisation in the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

''Pakistan's position is very clear that there will be no unilateral demilitarisation,'' Pakistan foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said while answering queries at her weekly press briefing here today.

President Pervez Musharraf had been talking about certain ideas for resolution of Kashmir issue including identification of regions, demilitarisation, self-governance and joint management, she said.

But it does not mean Islamabad would agree on unilateral demilitarisation, Ms Aslam added.

About ongoing visit of families of Indian prisoners of war (PoWs) to Pakistani jails, she said her country demonstrated an unprecedented gesture in allowing some Indian families to visit the jails.

However, she said, ''there was no Indian PoW in Pakistan but despite this we have allowed Indian families to visit various jails on humanitarian grounds.'' ''They have already visited six jails and would be visiting four more. After visiting six jails they have confirmed that there were no traces of any POW there,'' she added.

The spokeswoman regretted that India had never shown the level of gesture shown by Pakistan.

''There are over 500 Pakistani civilians prisoners languishing in Indian jails and many of them have completed their prison sentences which were awarded on very minor infringements,'' the spokeswoman added.

UNI

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