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700/800 HOURS OF 31-05-99
 
PM-ANNAN:

The UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan has expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and appreciated the initiative of Prime Minister Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to send the Pakistan Foreign
Minister to New Delhi to defuse the situation.

The Secretary General talked to Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on telephone yesterday and reiterated the need for the political solution of Kashmir dispute. He  assured continued UN interest in the situation.

Mr. Kofi Annan appreciated the sincere views expressed by the Prime Minister and his desire to de-escalate the situation and resumption of talks with India.

The Prime Minister told about the dangerous situation caused by the unprovoked Indian military action in the Kargil sector. Referring to the use of military aircraft and helicopter gunships by India he observed that the action is unprecedented.

Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif set aside Indian allegations of Pakistan's involvement in  alleged infiltration across the line of control and described it as a pretext to justify Indian actions. He said India is engaged in suppressing the indigenous Kashmiri uprising for the last ten years. In this connection Pakistan has only extended moral and political
support the freedom fighters who also deserve international support as they are struggling for the right of self determination as promised by the United Nations itself.

PM-OIC:

The Prime Minister has sent a message to the OIC Secretary General expressing concern at the escalated  Indian military action against Kashmiri Mujahideen and incursions across the Line of Control.

In his message, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan desired that durable peace should be established in the region. He expressed the commitment to the Lahore Declaration and to the dialogue process which requires Pakistan and India to intensify efforts to resolve all issues peacefully  including the core issue of Kashmir.

VAJPAYEE-ANNAN:

The UN Secretary General talked to the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee on telephone and offered to send an envoy to India and Pakistan.

The Indian Prime Minister rejected his offer and said if at all a UN envoy has to be sent, he should be sent to Pakistan.

The US Secretary of State Ms.Medline Albright also discussed on phone with the Indian External Affairs Minister the developments in Kargil. She stressed to resolve the conflict through talks.

IRAN:

Iran has offered to intervene in the current crisis between India and Pakistan. The Speaker of Iranian Parliament Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri said in Teheran yesterday that as chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Iran is prepared to help solve the crisis between the two countries.

FIRING:

Several villages including Bandala Piyana in Samani valley in Azad Kashmir are being vacated and the people have started shifting to safer places in Bhimber district to escape unprovoked Indian firing. According to officials in Mirpur town of Azad Kashmir, seven people including a woman have been killed and fifteen others injured by the Indian army bombardment on the villages.

21/2200 HOURS OF 30-05-99

PM-ANNAN:

The UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, telephoned the Prime Minister,  Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and conveyed his appreciation for his  initiative of offering to send Foreign Minister to New Delhi to defuse  the current situation.

The Prime Minister informed the Secretary General of the dangerous  escalation caused by the unprovoked military action by India in the  Kargil sector. He said Indian allegation of Pakistan's involvement in alleged infiltration across the Line of Control is baseless and pretext to justify the current escalation. India was engaged in suppressing and
indigenous Kashmiri struggle for the last ten year.

The Prime Minister affirmed Pakistan's desire for de-escalation and the resumption of Lahore process which requires the two countries to resolve all problems including Kashmir.

The Kashmir issue is the root cause of all tension in the region and needed to be resolved to improve security environment in South Asia. The Prime Minister asked the UN Secretary General to play a role and help to
strengthen and activate the UNMOGIP and consider sending a special envoy to the region. The Prime Minister also renewed his invitation to the Secretary General to visit Pakistan.

The Secretary General expressed his concern over the deterioration in the situation and reiterated the need for a political solution of the Kashmir dispute.

He also appreciated the candid and sincere views expressed by the Prime Minister and his desire for de-escalation and resumption of peaceful dialogue. He assured the Prime Minister of his continued interest in the situation and expressed the hope that every effort will be made to defuse the crisis.

VAJPAYEE-ANNAN:

The UN Secretary General also talked to the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee on telephone and suggested and offered to send an envoy to India and Pakistan.

The Indian Prime Minister rejected his offer and said if at all a UN envoy has to be sent, he should be sent Pakistan.

SHELLING:

At least seven persons were martyred and fifteen injured  due to unprovoked  Indian army shelling in  village Bandala Piyana on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control in the Samni valley Sunday.

Those killed also include a woman. An official sources  in the Azad Kashmir town of Mirpur said  casualties
may rise.

He said  firing by Indian troops also damaged scores of houses

The Pakistan army is giving  proper response to the Indian firing which was continuing when  last reports came in.

CLASHES:

At least forty Indian soldiers were killed and over one hundred and fifty others , thirty of them seriously, in continued armed clashes between Indian forces and Mujahideen in Kargil and Drass areas in Occupied Kashmir.

Indian forces in Srinagar confirmed the deaths of thirty Indian soldiers and injured to one hundred thirty others whereas dozens of the Indian soldiers are massing in kargil and Drass sectors believed to be captured by freedom fighters.

There are also reports about martyrdom of some Kashmiri Mujahideen during continued attacks by the Indian Air Force in the snow clad Kargil and Drass areas. Indian Air Force is using latest air to surface missiles in the ongoing operation against freedom fighters in the area.

Meanwhile, the Srinagar airport is still closed for all sorts of civilian traffic and being used for the fighter planes of the Indian Air Force for Kargil-Drass operation.

KASHMIR:

In occupied Kashmir, reports  from Kargil say that despite four days of Indian bombing, the freedom fighters remain firmly entrenched in their positions on strategic heights  and continue their actions  against Indian military installations.

The Indian troops have  failed  to make any headway because of Mujahideens'  operations. Instead, they are reported  to have suffered heavy losses in men and material.

Meanwhile,  the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Gilani, addressing a big rally in Srinagar, expressed the apprehension that ruthless use of air and land forces  against Mujahideen in Kargil  might lead to nuclear catastrophe. Therefore, he said, the imperative need was  to settle the Kashmir issue, which was
the basic cause of tension and confrontation between India and Pakistan. he urged the United  Nations to intervene in view of the gravity of the situation.

Other APHC  leaders, Muhammad Yaseen Malik,Maulvi  Abbas Ansari and Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Butt also expressed grave concern over the Kargil situation and called for effective steps to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people.

AFGHAN INDIA:

The Afghan government has strongly rejected the Indian allegations that Taliban are fighting against Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir.

The Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Moulvi Saeedur Rehman told Afghan Islamic Press that Indian government is levelling false allegations to suppress the struggle of freedom fighters against Indian yoke.

He said that Afghan government would continue to extend full political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris struggling for the right of self determination.

DENIAL:

Pakistan has denied the Indian baseless allegation that the  pilot  of Indian aircraft was  shot dead after he landed in Pakistani territory when his plane was downed A military spokesman  dismissing the Indian claim told AFP that  the
claim was very ridiculous  and a  propaganda stunt .  He said  no army would shoot a  captured fighter pilot who would much more valuable alive than dead.  It may be recalled that  immediately after the shooting down of the plane  Pakistan lost no time in returning the body of the pilot.