Islamabad, Dec 01: There is no troop build-up by Pakistan on its border with India following the Mumbai terror attack, the military said on Sunday, even as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani cancelled a foreign visit in view of the strain in ties with New Delhi.
Major General Athar Abbas, spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations, said that contrary to media reports there was no extraordinary movement on the borders.
"These are media speculations without any base and truth about the troops movement and suspension of ceasefire (on the Kashmir border)," Abbas said
Media reports had said on Sunday that Pakistan was shifting its troops from the Afghanistan border to the eastern border anticipating retaliatory action by India, which had pointed to elements in Pakistan for the terror strike in Mumbai that lasted nearly 60 hours and killed over 180 people.
"As far as official authenticated reports are concerned, there is no such movement or mobilisation of troops. The ceasefire is holding," Abbas said.
However, Prime Minister Gilani on Sunday cancelled his visit to Hong Kong and held telephone talks with the leaders of different political parties.
"Yes, the Prime Minister has cancelled his visit (to Hong Kong)," the Prime Minister's press secretary said. Gilani was due to leave for Hong Kong on a four-day official visit to attend the Asia meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).
A report by the government-run APP wire agency said that Gilani had received full support from "all democratic forces" of the country on the situation in Pakistan after the Mumbai attack.
He spoke to several political leaders who offered their full support to the government.
These leaders included Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Abdul Malik, Israrullah Zehri, Munir Khan Orakzai and Senators Shahid Bugti, Ismail Baladi and Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, December 01, 2008, 00:00