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Sinha's charge a ploy to avoid talks: Pakistan

K J M Varma in Islamabad

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha's charge that 'it was going back on its promise to permanently end cross-border infiltration' saying it was a 'ploy' by India to avoid resumption of bilateral talks.

Reacting to Sinha's remarks made in New Delhi that infiltration has gone up in past few days, Pakistan Defence spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said, "Frankly I am surprised by the new minister's allegations. Either the new minister does not know or this is the typical Indian duplicity."

He added, "Absolutely nothing is happening at the Line of Control."

Gen Qureshi said the fresh allegations show that 'India is hedging and going back on its commitment to resume talks with Pakistan'.

He said, "Both Pakistan and the whole world is aware that India is required to respond to Pakistan's decision to prevent infiltration."

"The whole effort appears to be to sidestep the real issues," he added.

Qureshi said Indian leaders and officials sent 'contradictory' signals by saying 'different' things.

"While Defence Minister George Fernandes and Chief of the Indian Army General Padmanabhan had said that infiltration has stopped, the new minister said just the opposite," he claimed.

"This leads one to believe that it is either ignorance of the minister or a design to avoid what was expected from India," he said.

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