Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-278347

TITLE= PAK SUMMIT / REACT CQ(L-O)

DATELINE=LAHORE, PAKISTAN

BYLINE=JON TKACH

VOICED AT=

CONTENT=

/// Re-running w/ must correct in both first and last names of Pakistani movie reviewer in first graph of Text.///

INTRO: Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf has returned home after his highly-anticipated summit

meeting in India. The Pakistani leader did not bring back an agreement on the sticky issue of Kashmir, but as V-O-A's Jon Tkach (KOTCH)reports from the Pakistani city of Lahore, many Pakistanis were not surprised by the lack of a breakthrough.

TEXT: Zafar Samdani, a Pakistani movie reviewer and

commentator, says he managed to sneak a veiled reference to the Musharraf-Vajpayee summit into one of his movie reviews.

/// SAMDANI ACT ///

It was that there is to be no offspring in a marriage

between dolls. There was no meeting point between the

two sides and when there is no meeting point, they

remain on the two sides of a vast river - and that is

how it has ended.

/// END ACT ///

He says the most important thing is what they decide

to do now.

/// BEGIN OPT ///

But, he worries that India will react to the continued

standstill by taking a harder stand against

separatists fighting in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

/// SECOND SAMDANI ACT ///

And inevitably the Kashmiris will submit or they will

react. So inevitably I see a bloodier (future) ahead in Kashmir.

/// END ACT AND END OPT ///

Both countries have firmly stood behind their claims to the whole of Kashmir since partition, in 1947. They have fought over the region in two of the three India-Pakistan wars. And Kashmir was the main reason the Agra talks broke down.

But Lahore businessman Malik Akram still sees hope in the fact that the two leaders agreed to meet at all.

/// AKRAM ACT ///

At least two people, who were not prepared to see each

other's face and listen to one another, they have sat

down at one table, face to face, and they have held a

dialogue. So hopefully something should come out in the future.

/// END ACT ///

He says the fact that Indian Prime Minister Atal

Behari Vajpayee accepted an invitation to visit

Pakistan later this year is a good sign that some sort

of peace process has begun.

/// NAT SOUND: MARKET SOUND UP TO FULL AND FADE TO:

///

Many traders in this Lahore market had a very simple

reason for hoping something came out of the Agra

summit -- money. These shopkeepers trade mainly in

Indian goods. To them, better relations means better

business.

But still, Mohammed Tariq says the most important

issue must always be Kashmir.

/// TARIQ ACT, IN URDU THEN FADE TO: ///

He says he had hoped the situation would improve

because of the summit. But when the main problem of

Kashmir is not solved, he asks, how can relations

possibly get any better?

But he and many other Pakistanis also say they are

weary of the many years of hostilities with their

neighbor, with whom they have so much in common.

Mr. Tariq points out that many of the goods he sells

come to him via Indians who cross the border to

visit their relatives in Pakistan. (signed)

NEB/JT/FC