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December 27, 2008

Pakistan: 'Does Not Want War' with India
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=213345C:A6F02AD83191E1606BEEA04C5C6900D130EB2FA2E66CBB22&
 
PM Yousaf Raza Gilani says Pakistan wants to have friendly relations
with India; would not strike first, would only react 
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani (File)Pakistani Prime
Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has reiterated that his country does not
want war with neighboring India, as tensions remain high following last
month's terror attacks in Mumbai. In a televised address Saturday, Mr.
Gilani said Pakistan wants to have friendly relations with India. He
said Pakistan would not strike first, but would only react. He spoke one
day after U.S. officials urged India and Pakistan to avoid escalating
tensions after Pakistan began moving thousands of troops toward its
border with India. India blames the Mumbai attacks on Pakistan-based
militants. Witnesses say they saw Pakistani troops moving eastward from
Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where soldiers have been fighting
al-Qaida and Taliban militants. Pakistan's military also canceled leave
for members of the armed forces, and put the army and air force on high
alert. Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Friday that
Pakistan was trying to "divert attention" away from targeting militant
groups. India's Foreign Ministry advised Indian citizens that it is
"unsafe for them to travel or be in Pakistan."Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh discussed the growing tensions in a meeting with his
military chiefs on Friday. New Delhi says the militants who laid siege
to Mumbai were Pakistanis, trained and equipped by the Pakistan-based
militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Islamabad has demanded proof of the
gunmen's nationality. The attacks killed more than 170 people in India's
financial capital. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three
wars since their independence from Britain in 1947.  

 Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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