India rejects Pakistan's premature Kashmir 'proposals'
Dated 21/11/2005
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New Delhi: India has rejected Pakistan's suggestions regarding "self governance" on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC) and reaffirmed that there would be no re-deployment of security forces while terrorism, violence and infiltration continued.
An official spokesman said in response to question on Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman's remarks about self governance on both sides of the LOC that Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the recent SAARC Summit in Dhaka that the two countries could explore ideas like self governance and de-militarisation.
These proposals were a no starter for Indian side of Jammu & Kashmir already enjoys autonomy, democracy and self rule while Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (including Northern Areas) were under the tight control of the military government from Islamabad/Rawalpindi.
During the meeting between Dr Manmohan Singh and Mr Shaukat Aziz in Dhaka, Mr Aziz had conveyed that in seeking a resolution on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, the two countries could inter alia explore ideas such as self governance and de-militarisation.
"No proposal regarding so called self governance was provided to which a response was expected. Our Prime Minister had conveyed that J and K already enjoyed autonomy under the Indian Constitution and had in place a popular government elected through free and fair elections. However, there was clearly a lack of autonomy in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and there had been no popular elections in Gilgit and Baltistan to determine the wishes and aspirations of the people," the spkesman said.
The spokesman said that the Prime Minister had also reiterated that there would be no question of re-deployment of security forces by India while cross border terrorism and infiltration continued and there was no cessation of acts of terrorist violence.
