Pak to rush aid to remote areas along LoC on its own Saturday, October 15 2005 18:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
Islamabad:
Pakistan today (Oct 15, 2005) said it has not sought road access from India to provide relief material to remote quake-hit regions along the Line of Control (LoC) in its side of Kashmir.
"We have not approached India in this regard. Pakistan is trying to rush aid in these parts on its own," Foreign Office spokesperson, Tasneem Aslam said.
Aslam was reacting to a report in a Pakistani daily, which claimed Pakistan has sought access through the road connecting Srinagar-Muzafarabad to send aid to remote parts of PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) along the LoC.
Aslam said possibilities to rush supplies through the Srinagar-Muzafarabad route were remote because the Aman Sethu connecting both sides has been damaged.
There was, however, willingness on the part of both countries to help the victims of the October 8 massive earthquake that wiped away life and property on both sides of the border, she said.
On criticism by leader of moderate faction Mirwaiz Omar Farooq that India and Pakistan failed to overcome their political differences in opening the LoC for sending quick aid to the affected people, Aslam said she has "not yet read Farooq's comments."