Pak, India tension is easing, claims Gilani

Islamabad, Dec. 13 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said that international diplomacy is helping to defuse his country's tensions with India three weeks after the Mumbai terror attacks.

In an interview to a foreign news agency, Gilani said that the prospects of a military confrontation between Islamabad and New Delhi have receded.

"Normalisation takes time. All our common friends and responsible statesmen are playing their important role in defusing the situation and I'm pretty sure that will work," The News quoted Gilani, as saying.

Pakistan has repeatedly said that it would extend a hand of cooperation to India in investigations if evidence is presented to it. oth countries have held a number of rounds of composite dialogue to resolve issues, including the long-standing Kashmir issue.

He said Pakistan was taking action against groups and people put on a U.N. terrorist list.

He also said that the chances of India resorting to air strikes in Pakistan were remote.

"I think India is equally responsible and they won't (launch air strikes). There is no fear of anything like that," Gilani said. e said the latest crackdown on some organizations would go beyond previous ineffective bans because U.N. resolutions gave the government a stronger legal position.

"Now we have to act according to the United Nations resolutions," Gilani said.

Gilani said the freedom struggle in Indian Kashmir was indigenous, "not state-sponsored" and has "nothing to do with Pakistan". ressed on whether his government would act against groups involved in illegal activities, Gilani replied: "Certainly if Pakistan soil is being used for any such activity the law will take its own course." (ANI)