Prithvi dashes hopes of Indo-Pak friendship: Pak ambassador

C K Arora in Washington

Riaz Khokhar, Pakistan's ambassador to the US, has said India's reported deployment of Prithvi missiles has dealt a blow to the recent hopeful signs of friendship and co-operation between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Speaking at a conference organised by the Woodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars on Wednesday, he said it was regrettable that India had decided to deploy its medium-range missiles.

Khokhar -- who served as Pakistan's high commissioner in India before his Washington posting -- said it was Pakistan's responsibility to draw the attention of its friends, particularly those who disagreed with its assessment of the military situation in South Asia vis-a-vis the threat posed by India.

Referring to the Kashmir problem, Khokhar said no government could survive in Pakistan if it sought to accord low priority to Kashmir in its dialogue with India.

''In my judgment, we can make progress on a broad front provided India is serious and genuinely interested in resolving the Kashmir dispute,'' the ambassador remarked.

He listed three parties to the dispute -- Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people. ''We have to recognise this fact. They are the ones who will eventually decide their own fate,'' he added.

He, however, said Pakistan did not want to make Kashmir a precondition for developing relations in other areas.

UNI

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