Sunday, October 16 2005 19:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Accusing Pakistan of adopting an indifferent attitude towards hapless people of quake-ravaged Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has said Islamabad 'turned down international help in rubble-strewn areas because of fear of exposure' of militant camps there.

"One wonders why Indian offer of help was refused, which could have saved hundreds of lives and could also have boosted the confidence between both Governments. Answer to this is simple if we take militant camps into equation," senior JKLF leader Shabir Chaudhury said in a statement from London.

Despite all the claims of dismantling militant training camps, he said, the open secret was that they were fully operational with more than 3000 militants from various nationalities.

"These camps were located in various parts of PoK and in areas of Balkote and Manshera," he added.

"Unlike what happens in this part of the world, the natural disaster when it stuck, didn't distinguish between a man with gun and a civilian. They, like other civilians, were either killed, injured or were under the rubble," he said,

"t last, to the relief of some, the camps wee dismantled by forces of nature," he added.

"What explanation could the (Pakistan) Government give if some militants from Bangladesh, Sudan, Algeria and Egypt are seen? This could have been very embarrassing for the military Government of General Pervez Musharraf who on more than one occasion claimed there were no camps," the JKLF leader said while reasoning Pakistan's turning down of India's offer for joint relief and rescue efforts in PoK.