Islamabad: Rejecting External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh's assertion that cross-border terrorism continued, Pakistan today (Aug 29, 2004) said the charge is being used as a "smokescreen" to divert attention from the "real core issue" of Kashmir. It also said that there were no Indian suspects on the Pakistani soil.

Commenting on Singh's remarks yesterday (Aug 28, 2004) that cross-border terrorism was continuing and that he would raise the issue with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri when they meet in New Delhi on September 5-6, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said his country's delegation would hear the Indian side.

"The Indian External Affairs Minister has expressed his intent of what he wants to discuss with our Foreign Minister. Our side will hear out the Indian side, as we have always done," he said in a statement.

Khan said Singh is repeating the allegations of the "so-called" cross-border terrorism and "we reject these allegations, which are being used as a smokescreen for diverting attention from the real core issue.

"What is really important and pressing is the dismantlement of the apparatus that supports gross and systematic violations of Human Rights in Kashmir."

On Singh's comments that India has added five more names to the list of 20 wanted persons and handed it over to Pakistan, Khan said, "There are no wanted Indian suspects on Pakistani soil. In the last round of talks on terrorism held in Islamabad in Islamabad, lists were exchanged by both sides, but such matters are not discussed through the media."

About Singh's remarks on 71 confidence-building measures forwarded by India in the talks on eight-point composite dialogue, Khan said the focus should be on quality, not quantity.

"Let's not focus on quantity, but quality. This is not a numbers' game. We have also presented a number of proposals. All proposals are on the table. All measures have to be discussed, chaffed and winnowed.

Even more pivotal is the need to create durable peace and security through resolution of all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. No issue can be swept under the carpet," he said.