Q. What have you been able to achieve in this current visit?
A. The purpose of this meeting was to take stock of the composite dialogue and the items that we have made some progress on. We have proposed some new ones too like introducing tourist visas. It is revolutionary in the context of the history of Indo-Pak relations where even if you had to visit the Himalayan mountain ranges in the north of Pakistan you had to invent a relative. That won't happen. On trade too we have agreed to set up a committee to establish a level-playing field. We remain positive.

Q. On the Kashmir issue, has there been any forward movement?
A. Unfortunately, the differences persist. Pakistan has one point of view and India has a different one. The idea is to try and bridge the differences.

PICTURE SPEAK

Q. Do explain what the Kashmir dispute is really about.
A. The dispute is very clear. Your Government knows it, your public knows it. And I challenge that you ask a Class IV student in south India or in northern Pakistan why India and Pakistan fought these wars-they will tell you it is Kashmir.

Q. You insist on speaking only to the Hurriyat and not to the elected leaders in Kashmir like Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and Omar Abdullah. Why not?
A. First of all you have to start from a certain premise which was that there was to be a plebiscite in Kashmir to determine its future which has not been held. India has its own point of view on that and we have our own. For India to resolve the issue we have to find some method because we are a party to it. You can have 2,000 elections, it doesn't bother us. The whole effort is to find out some acceptable mode of determining the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. Not just for moralistic or legalistic reasons but for a practical one because we want to put an end to this dispute between us. We tried three wars but found that war is not an option. Now the only other option is to talk.

Q. Does it mean talking to Kashmiris of your choice or of India's?
A. No. Once the governments of India and Pakistan decide what mechanism is to be used to determine the aspirations then whoever they decide, whatever method or model that they agree upon will be followed. Common sense would demand that it involve all the Kashmiris and not restrict it to Abdullah or Geelani. It is not a question of your favourites or mine.

Q. Would you allow us to talk to any of the PoK Kashmiri leaders?
A. Yes, absolutely.

Q. Even to Sindh rebel groups?
A. No. We are not talking to anybody in north-east India or others. These are not international disputes like Kashmir. It is not our business.

Q. What exactly did you tell the Government about the way you wanted the talks to proceed?
A. Actually we have not moved that far. We have only agreed to allow the contact of people on both sides of the loc and we have to work out the modalities, including how to start the bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar. It is a small step.

Q. Is there any difference of approach between the previous Indian government and the new one?
A. President Musharraf and A.B. Vajpayee showed a lot of courage-they were the first to do it. That is why I was unhappy with the title of your previous week's cover story ("General Mischief", September 13). I request the Indian media to provide competing points of view. We are reassured that both Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh have issued statements giving importance to the peace process as has Mr Natwar Singh.

Q. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met you, he expressed concerns about the rise in infiltration in recent months.
A. Pakistan's record of cracking down on terrorism has been internationally acknowledged. The previous argument was that the government of Pakistan encouraged infiltration by letting loose artillery barrage on the border and using it as a cover for people to get in. But that is not happening. In addition to the ceasefire, you have multi-layered fencing with sensory devices and yet people are getting through. Perhaps the reports that the Indian Government have been given are exaggerated.

Q. Have you reassured the Government of India again that you will take steps to curb infiltration?
A. We have reassured the Government that we will take steps. We are very serious about this. I also pointed out that anybody who is prepared to kill himself is not getting instructions from President Musharraf or Yasser Arafat or whoever. These people have their own mission. So, if a large number of people are not to go in a certain direction we need to hold out hope. When Pakistan and India talk about this purposefully the extremists will be discouraged and we will achieve our purpose.

Q. After this round, do you think there can be progress on Kashmir?
A. I can say there is hope.