India, Pak differ on time schedule to restore rail link

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: Differences surfaced between India and Pakistan over the time schedule to restore the Munabao-Khokhrapar rail link which was stopped 39 years ago, as the railway officials of the two countries met here today to discuss the matter.

On the opening day of the two-day talks today, India suggested running the trains by September next year after carrying out necessary track repairs while Pakistan said it required two years to make the infrastructure ready for commencing the service between Munabao in Rajasthan and Khokrapar in Pakistan’s Sindh province, State-run PTV reported.

Indian officials subsequently said the two sides differed on the schedule to run the train service.

"It appeared that Pakistan is not very keen to run the train service," an Indian official, who attended the talks, said on condition of anonymity.

The PTV report, quoting officials, was aired even when the talks were underway between the two sides.

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh recently said India was hopeful that the rail link would be restored by October 2 next year. Pakistan, however, remained non-committal.

A seven-member Indian delegation headed by L R Thapar, Additional Member of Railway Board, held talks with Pakistani delegation led by Secretary Railways Board Zaeem Chaudhry.

Earlier, Chaudhary sounded optimistic about the talks and said a "breakthrough" was likely.

"I think the two sides agree that the talks should produce good results to benefit the people of the two countries. Restoration of the railway link will be a gift for the people of the two countries," Chaudhary said.

Restoration of tracks, number of trains and passengers, and other related issues would be discussed during the two-day talks, another Pakistani official said.

If agreed, it will be the second train service between the two countries. Both countries at present run Samjhotha express train between Lahore and Attari, besides a bus service between Lahore and New Delhi.

Ahead of the talks, officials of Pakistan’s Railways Ministry said that no rail track existed between Khokhrapar and Munabao, and it would be a daunting task to place new track on the route. Both sides would take final decision after the conclusion of technical-level talks, they said.

Surprisingly, Pakistani officials said in view of the difficulties in restoring the train service, a road link would be preferred over the rail link.

Earlier this year the two sides explored the possibility to resume a bus link between the two border towns through similar talks. The proposal had been abandoned after Pakistan said the repair work would take a long time. After that the two sides agreed to discuss possibility to restore rail links.

The Pakistani officials said re-opening of the Khokhrapar-Munabao route was a long-standing demand of people from both countries especially those living on both sides of the border. The rail link which was functional until 1965 served as the trade route to Karachi port before partition.

About Rs 650 million have been sought for initial phase of the project to upgrade the track, a Pakistani official said. (PTI)

JKSLF wants PoK students be permitted to study in J&K

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: The student wing of Amanullah Khan-led JKLF has said that students from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) should be permitted to travel to Srinagar for higher studies as the educational facilities are better in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu Kashmir Student Liberation Front (JKSLF) secretary, Sardar Mehfooz, said the quality education was lacking in PoK.

PoK does not even have medical or engineering colleges, nor facilities for higher education and PhDs, he said in a statement.

Mehfooz said the Srinagar University was better equipped in terms of facilities for higher education and students from PoK should be permitted to study there.

Similarly if students in Jammu and Kashmir wanted to study in Pakistan, they should be allowed to travel, he said.

He said his organisation had tried to impress upon the Indian journalists, who recently visited PoK under the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), about the lack of educational facilities in PoK. The efforts by JKSLF to show the journalists facilities in the local university were thwarted by the local officials, he claimed.

While opposing LoC as the solution to the Kashmir issue, he said his organisation favoured resumption of bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, but without passport and visas. (PTI)

HM ‘launching commander’ among 2 top
ultras surrender in Reasi

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 2: Two top militants of Hizbul Mujahideen including a "launching commander" of the outfit surrendered before Reasi police in their hideout at Malarh Khud in a dense forest area this afternoon.

Surrender of the militants especially the "launching commander" has delivered a major setback to the outfit in Mahore-Gool-Reasi belt where the duo were operating for the last six to seven years.

Official sources said Mohd Kalu son of Shah Wali, a resident of Kothian, Pouni and Mohd Amin son of Lal Din, a resident of Dungala, Reasi surrendered before SSP Reasi Jagdish Lal Sharma in their hideout at Malarh Khud, located between the dense forest area, about six kms from here this afternoon.

They handed over two AK-56 rifles, eight magazines, 137 rounds, two I Com wireless sets and three hand grenades at the time of surrender.

Hideout of the militants, where they surrendered, was later destroyed by the police, the sources said.

They said the police had been trying to get the local militants surrendered or arrested to curb the militancy in upper reaches of Reasi and Mahore tehsils. Some local respectable citizens of the area including the Panchayat members were also involved by the police in persuading the militants to give up the path of violence and join the national mainstream.

The militants were also promised relief under "rehabilitation policy" of the State Government.

After about two month long mediation, the militants agreed to surrender in their hideout, the sources said, adding the SSP Reasi personally went to the dense forests along with other officers of police when the militants surrendered. The militants also handed over the arms, ammunition, explosive devices and wireless sets they had in their possession.

The militants were brought to Reasi where they were shifted to an unknown location for questioning.

According to sources, Mohd Kaalu, who was a dreaded militant of the area, and his associate have made some important disclosures during their preliminary questioning. Kaalu was instrumental in a number of activities besides shifting the foreign mercenaries and other militants from one place to another in Mahore-Gool-Reasi belt.

He has also made some important disclosures about hideouts of the militants in these areas. Sources said security forces and police were planning to launch a joint operation in the areas, disclosed by Kaalu, where the militants had their hideouts.

Kaalu had also motivated a number of youths in hilly areas of Reasi and Mahore to join the militancy during last six to seven years. He was among the few "most wanted" militants in Reasi-Mahore belt and his surrender is being considered as a major setback to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, the sources said.

Militant, civilian killed; IED defused
Gunmen loot Rs 50,000 from bank

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 2: Two unidentified gunmen have decamped with over fifty thousand rupees from a branch of J&K Bank Ltd in Lalbazar locality of Srinagar almost same time when Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig inaugurated mobile Automated Teller Machine (ATM) van at the Bank's corporate headquarters here this afternoon. Meanwhile, a defence spokesman said that one more militant had been killed in Hajan Nar forests of Naristan Tral area in Pulwama district Tuesday night.

Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that two motorbike borne unidentified gunmen appeared near the branch of J&K Bank Ltd at Budshah Mohalla in Lalbazar locality of Srinagar city this afternoon. The gunmen, riding on unnumbered motorbike, stopped outside the Bank's main gate and one of the gunmen entered inside the branch.

According to these sources, the pistol borne youth snatched Rs 56,147 from the cashier. Even as the one odd guard resisted the robbers and fired several rounds, they managed to decamp with the cash.

Police has registered a case at Police Station Lalbazar vide FIR No 61/2004 under section 392 RPC and launched a manhunt to nab the looters.

Interestingly, the incident occurred at almost the same time when Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig was inaugurating mobile ATM, the first of its kind in North India, at the J&K Bank's corporate headquarters here this afternoon.

This is a third bank robbery in this year. In earlier two cases, gunmen in the months of September and November looted Rs 36 lakh and Rs 35 lakh from the twin branches of J&K Bank at Kachdoora and Imam Sahib in Shopian area of Pulwama district respectively. Also, a J&K Police guard was killed and four employees of the bank were injured in a shootout at Imam Sahib branch.

Meanwhile, a defence spokesman said that two militants had been killed in a gun battle between troops of Ist Para unit of Army and militants in Hajan Nar forests of Naristan Tral area in Pulwama district Tuesday night with one more militant found dead.

The slain militants have been identified as Tafheem Ahmed and Ahmed Nawaz, both reportedly residents of Pakistan and owing allegiance to Al-Badr Mujahideen. The defence spokesman claimed that Tafheem was Al-Badr's district commander. Sources revealed that at least four militants managed to escape from the encounter site.

A civilian Shamas-ud-Din Zargar, a shopkeeper was shot dead by the militants when he was on way to his house at Shatpora after closing down his shop at Wallarhama, Karagund in Handwara tonight.

Security forces defused a 10 kg weight Improvised Explosive Device near a showroom (IED) at Ishvar Nishat. The IED was later defused.

A police constable, identified as Javaid Ahmed, was injured when his service rifle accidentally went off in Humhama Budgam today. Javaid was rushed to the SMHS Hospital Srinagar where he was stated to be out of danger.

Omar ‘ready’ to sign JKLF memorandum seeking
inclusion of J&K people in talks
Divided Kashmiris united on peace in Kashmir

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

TORONTO, Dec 2: National Conference president and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah has asserted that the Government of India should not only permit the Valley's separatist leaders to visit Pakistan but should also facilitate their participation in the seminars and conferences being held on Kashmir anywhere in the world. He observed that the JKLF's signature campaign was based on "sound logic" and he, as a Member of the Indian Parliament, was ready to sign Yasin Malik's memorandum seeking inclusion of the Kashmiris as a party in any political process on Jammu and Kashmir. Omar was among a dozen of the political leaders, parliamentarians and community activists who addressed the International Kashmir Alliance's second International Kashmir Conference in this North American metropolis.

Leaders of the Kashmiri diaspora settled in the Europe, United States of America, Canada and other countries, besides a number of the mainstream politicians from Jammu and Kashmir, participated in the two-day conference. It is being held in follow up to the IKA's first International Kashmir Conference organised in London in May this year. Three prominent Members of the Canadian Parliament also participated and addressed the gathering with their overwhelming thrust on opening up the borders between India and Pakistan, besides all regions of the unidivided Jammu and Kashmir state.

In his speech, Omar Abdullah emphasised that conferences like the one organised by the IKA should throw ideas and proposals for seeking a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem, which, he said, had already consumed a huge toll of the human life. He pointed out that fundamental changes were taking place in the thinking of the sub-continental leadership in the post-September 11 world and the Valley's separatist leaders could not afford to be an exception. He advised New Delhi to lift all restrictions on the movement and foreign traveling of the separatist leaders.

Responding to some of the speakers' criticism to his advocacy of the Government of India grant permission to the Hurriyat leaders to visit Pakistan, Omar argued that their passage to Islamabad was bound to be beneficial to the Kashmiris. "If the Hurriyat leaders succeed in reducing the violence, which they claim publicly, it'll be good for the Kashmiris. If they fail and expose themselves, it'll be again good for it would render them all irrelevant in Kashmir's political spectrum", he argued.

Omar emphasised that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were the primary party in all deliberations on Jammu and Kashmir. He made reference to an anecdote when Atal Behari Vajpayee introduced his father Farooq Abdullah to Gen Musharraf during the Agra Summit of 2001 with the remarks: "Here's the third party, Mr Musharraf". According to Omar, Dr Abdullah was quick to respond: "No Sir. I'm the first party. You two have to decide who's the second and who's the third". Omar asserted that for New Delhi and Islamabad, Jammu and Kashmir could be simply a territorial dispute but the same was a human tragedy for the Kashmiris whether they were followers of the separatist politics or the mainstream one. "It's only the people of the State who'll have the J and K interest at heart. They only can see how far was the future and the interests of the Kashmiris secure in any dialogue and agreement", he asserted. "But our tragedy is that we tend to be involved in dividing overselves. One region is being made fight with another. It has only nourished misgivings", he lamented.

Omar said that his party National Conference was a major political organisation in the State but it had never claimed to be representative of all people in Jammu and Kashmir. He clarified that the NC believed greater autonomy as a logical solution to the Kashmir problem but it would never seek to thrust this dispensation on the ideas and aspirations of the other parties. He said that a lasting solution could be found only in a dialogue between New Delhi, Islamabad and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He admitted candidly that the NC too had made "mistakes" in the past. "All agreements---whether it was the Delhi Agreement of 1951 or the Indira-Abdullah Accord of 1975 or those between New Delhi and Islamabad---have failed for one reason: They did not take into account the international dimension of the Kashmir problem", Omar argued. He said that the unity of all Kashmiri leaders was a must to make the process of resolution inclusive so that the aspirations of all regions besides cultural, linguistic and religious ethnicities could be addressed fairly and judiciously.

"We can all be divided on the smaller issues. My party has differences with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. But we won't be divided on the resolution of the Kashmir problem. What's there in Yasin Malik's signature campaign? I'm told there are two specific points in it: Resolve the Kashmir problem and include the Kashmiris as a party in the process. If that's all, I believe it's based on a sound logic and I'm ready to sign his memorandum as a Member of the Indian Parliament", Omar said. He observed that gathering of the leaders of different political ideologies on one platform would remove misgivings and clear the space for reason and logic. He believed that sticking to the stated positions of parties would only sustain the status quo and miseries for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Omar said that politicians should not hold the life of a nation hostage till the time of reaching an agreement.

While leaders of India's and Pakistan's political parties, including those from different regions of the unidivided state of Jammu and Kashmir, seemed to be divided on the possible solutions to the political problem, there was consensus on one thing: Every speaker, whether he was the London-based chairman of JKLF Abbas Butt, NC president Omar Abdullah, PDP general secretary Sadiq Ali, CPI (M) State secretary Mohmmad Yusuf Tarigami, BJP's J&K chief Dr Nirmal Singh, chairman of the Kashmiri immigrants diaspora in Canada Ashok Kaul or secretary general of Pakistan National Party Mir Hasil Bizinjoo, stressed on changing the status quo of death and mayhem in Kashmir. Leaders like Omar were categoric in calling for a ceasefire with the militants.

Three prominent Members of the Canadian Parliament, namely Derek Lee, Jim Karygiannis and Joe Comartin, underscored the need of turning India and Pakistan into a major trade attraction for the developed West. They observed that opening all regions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir for the phenomenally growing potential of trade and economy would benefit the people and lead to peace and prosperity in the region. The Parliamentarians, who have visited both parts of the state more than once, asked the Kashmiri immigrants to educate them and others in this part of North America about the ground realities in Kashmir. They also undersored the need of continuous communication between the divided Kashmiris.

Derek Lee made a reference to China and asked the Kashmiris to see how a region, close to Jammu and Kashmir, was emerging as a world leader in trade and technology. He said that Internet had become an integral part of the human life in China and the country once reeling under abject poverty was emerging as a major economic power in competition with the developed West. He said that like Kashmir, Canada too was divided in different cultural and religious ethnicities but over 150 years ago it learned how to unite and emerge as a potential force in the Continent. He asked the Hurriyat to shun its rhetoric of representing all Kashmiris and asserted that "All Parties" don't represent everybody. He said that every initiative on Kashmir must be "inclusive" to accommodate the feelings, needs and aspirations of all residents of the State. "Tribalism and indoctrination is a problem in many areas of the world. I firmly believe it's not going to work in Kashmir", Lee added. He referred to a Kashmiri woman writer's article, published recently, and pointed out how she had prominently sought to emphasise in the first two sentences itself that there was 70 percent Muslim population in the State. "Is that important. More important than all other issues?", asked he.

Derek Lee said it was "brave and courageous of Mr (Yasin) Malik" that the pioneer of Kashmir's armed strife was calling for peaceful means to resolve the political crisis. He was, however, quick to add: "...but, when in Kashmir last time, I asked them (Hurriyat and other separatist leaders) to choose the ballot, not the bullet, they were all reluctant". He said that the sun had set on armed revolutions in the last few years and no "Fidel Castro-type revolutions" were now possible anywhere in the world.

PM sets up Ministerial team for KPs

NEW DELHI, Dec 2: As a follow-up to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir and his assurance to Kashmiri migrants at the camp in Jammu, the Prime Minister’s Office has constituted an inter-ministerial team for preparing a plan to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants.

The team will prepare the rehabilitation plan after visiting the migrant camps and holding discussions with the migrants taking into account, among others, means of livelihood, education, health and the security of women, PMO sources said.

The three-member team will be led by Principal Advisor (incharge of J and K) Planning Commission Kasturi Gupta Menon. The members are Joint Secretary (designate) Ministry of Home Affairs, Deptt of J and K affairs Mitali Sen Gavai, and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Pankaj Jain.

The team may co-opt members from any other ministry/department if felt necessary. The team will be serviced by the department of J and K Affairs and will have to submit its report to the PMO within two months. (UNI)

POTA repeal bill introduced

NEW DELHI, Dec 2: Amid strong protests by the opposition BJP, the Government today introduced the bill to repeal the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in the Lok Sabha, seeking to fulfil its pledge in the Common Minimum Programme.

The Prevention of Terrorism (Repeal) Bill, 2004, seeking to replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Repeal) Ordinance that was promulgated in September, is aimed at repealing the POTA of 2002, allegedly misused by some State Governments.

The bill was introduced by Minister of State for Home S A Reghupathy, who also moved another bill to amend the Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act to strengthen the provisions for checking terrorist activities.

"The Government has been concerned over the manner in which provisions of the act were grossly misused in the past two years. It was therefore felt necessary to repeal the act," Home Minister Shivraj Patil said in a statement.

He said views had been expressed that provisions of the act were misused in cases where they should not have been invoked. "It was also observed in various quarters that the act has failed to serve its intended purpose. As a result, there have been persistent demands that it should be repealed."

The Government had promulgated the POTA ordinance empowering the Central Review Committee to review all cases pending in the courts or at various stages of investigation and complete the review within the period of one year from the date of repeal of the act.

The ordinance also stipulates that the Central Government may constitute more review committees to complete the review within the specified period of one year.

However, voicing the opposition protest against the Government move, BJP deputy leader V K Malhotra said the bill would endanger national security.

The introduction of the bill contradicted the Government’s assurance to various international fora of fighting terrorism, he added. (UNI)

Sibtey Razi new Jharkhand Governor

NEW DELHI, Dec 2: Syed Sibtey Razi, a Minister in the P V Narasimha Rao Government, has been appointed the Governor of Jharkhand, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said today.

He succeeds Ved Prakash Marwah, who has completed his tenure as Jharkhand Governor.

Razi, a former Minister of State for Home, and a former deputy leader of Congress in the Rajya Sabha, would be Governor with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office, the spokesman said. (PTI)

India seeks postponement of Baglihar talks

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: India has asked Pakistan for re-scheduling of talks on controversial Baglihar dam issue, a leading Pakistani newspaper said.

"New Delhi has expressed inability to concur to the December 6 date proposed for the final round of talks on the contentious Baglihar hydro-power project, suggesting instead that the meeting be held towards the end of the month, Dawn today quoted unnamed sources as saying.

The date was formally proposed to India on November 27 by Pakistan as a last bid to settle the dispute bilaterally. In a message reportedly communicated to Pakistan through its High Commission in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Indian Government maintained that the talks should take place after it had provided Baglihar project-related data to the Pakistan side.

India has indicated that it would provide the data by December 15. It was supposed to provide the data in July, according to the understanding reached between the two sides earlier this year.

The Indian response to the proposed date has already been communicated to the Pakistan Indus Waters Commissioner. The Government’s next move will come after an inter-ministerial meeting that is likely to be convened shortly, the paper said.

However, there are strong indications that Pakistan will seek the intervention of the World Bank that has brokered the 1960 bilateral water-sharing treaty and also stands as its guarantor.

A formal notification to the World Bank for appointment of neutral experts may be dispatched soon, it is learnt. The bilateral water-sharing treaty gives both the countries the third party option in case of a deadlock over any issue. Article IX of the treaty provides for settling disputes through neutral experts or arbitration if they cannot be resolved between the two Indus Waters Commissioners. Pakistan maintains that the design of the Baglihar dam, being constructed by India on the river Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir, violates Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan is mindful of the fact that time is running out on Baglihar and believes India is merely resorting to delaying tactics in an attempt to buy more time, said the paper.

Recent reports from across the border suggest that India has speeded up work at the project site and recruited hundreds of additional civil engineers for early completion of the project.

The decision to have one last meeting on the Baglihar issue was arrived at the November 24 meeting between Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Delhi where the issue was raised by the latter.

Prime Minister Aziz acceded to the Indian request for another meeting to resolve the dispute bilaterally, making it clear that it would be the last chance for India to address Pakistan’s concerns.

At the heart of the dispute is the design of India’s Baglihar hydroelectric project, which, according to Pakistan’s case against it and provides for submerged gated spillways, and therefore Indian control over Pakistani waters in breach of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan’s main concern is that the gated structure would provide India the capability to manipulate flow of water to Pakistan’s disadvantage. One serious consequence is that it would arm India with the capability of causing acute water shortage in Pakistan. Technical experts warn it could deprive Pakistan of up to 8,000 cusecs of water per day. (UNI)

Pak for bus service between Amritsar, Nankana Sahib

AMRITSAR, Dec 2: The Pakistan Government has expressed its readiness for the launching of the bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, Punjab (Pakistan) Chief Minister Choudhary Pervez Elahi announced here today.

Speaking at a function in the SGPC Information and Media Centre on the Golden Temple premises here, Mr Elahi said before leaving for India he had held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad and the latter had expressed his readiness for accepting the proposal from the Indian Government in this regard.

Mr Ilahi said he did not see any problem on the part of the Pakistan Government over this issue.

Earlier, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had felicitated Mr Elahi. SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur has presented a memorandum to Mr Elahi in connection with long-standing demands of Sikhs.

Besides the demand of the bus service, the memorandum also included the demands of a free corridor for Sikh pilgrims for a visit to Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur (Ravi) Sahib in Pakistan, early release of Sikh youths languishing in different jails in Pakistan for several years and more visas for Sikh pilgrims for undertaking visits to Pakistan-based Sikh shrines. (UNI)

5 killed in suicide attack, Al-Mansoorian claims responsibilty

At least five security jawans were killed and several others injured when two heavily-armed militants carried out a suicide attack at a joint camp of CRPF and local police in Sopore area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir early this morning.

Five jawans have been killed so far and the exchange of fire is going on, a CRPF spokesman told PTI here.

He said some other security personnel were injured but their exact number was not known.

Al-Mansoorian militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. A caller identifying himself as spokesman of the outfit told a local newsagency that a special squad of Al-Mansoorian stormed the camp and inflicted "heavy losses" on the security personnel.

The ultras forced their entry into the camp at around 5.00 am by hurling grenades and opening indiscriminate fire at the drop gate of the camp located near the townhall and degree college sopore in which two CRPF jawans were killed on the spot, the spokesman said.

The forces and the ultras, holed up inside the camp, were exchanging fire intermittently in which three more jawans have been killed, he said.

CRPF has borne the brunt of militant action since taking over counterinsurgency operations from BSF in Kashmir. Militants have carried out several attacks on CRPF camps in the city including two at Kohnakhan, Dal Lake and Rajbagh. (PTI)

US forces search Gilgit, Baltistan
mountains for Osama, others

GILGIT, Dec 3: The American forces have intensified their search for the world’s most wanted terrorists — Osama bin Laden, his deputy Ayman-al-Zawahiri and Taliban supremo Mullah Mohammad Omar — besides several hundred Al-Qaeda militants in the mountains of Pakistan’s northern areas.

Sources told UNI here that the activities of the US forces have increased over the past several months possibly to flush out the Al-Qaeda militants who have reportedly taken refuge in the mountains of Gilgit and Baltistan, jointly known as Balawaristan and part of undivided Jammu and Kashmir.

The sources said US assistant Secretary of State for south Asia Christina Rocca and then US Ambassador to Pakistan Nancy Powell visited the northern areas in October this year.

They said it was officially announced that Ms Rocca and Ms Powell visited Gilgit and Baltistan to oversee the progress of the development projects funded by the US Government.

However, the high-profile visits generated a lot of "enthusiasm and curiosity" in the region, they added.

The sources said after the US launched its war on terror post-9/11, European Union Ambassadors have been visiting the area "quite regularly".

They also said the US Army had recently conducted exercises in the Deosai plateau, one of the highest plateaus in the world and located about 30 km from Skardu at the boundary of the Karakoram and the western Himalayas.

The Deosai plateau is spread over 3,000 squares km in the northern areas of Pakistan. The plateau, which has been declared as an international heritage site, is the natural habitat of the endangered Himalayan brown bear and other wild animals. (UNI)

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