Islamabad, Oct 28: Pakistan's Foreign Secretary called a news conference today to announce his country's response to an Indian peace overture, then canceled the meeting at the last minute. The Foreign Ministry said "consultations are continuing" on the reply to the 12-point package put forward last week by New Delhi to facilitate travel and contacts between the two peoples, including opening a new bus service across the cease-fire line in Kashmir. Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokar was to pronounce what a spokesman said would be Pakistan's "positive and robust" response. But reporters arriving at the foreign ministry gate were turned away and told the news conference was canceled. "We are studying additional dimensions," said an official on condition of anonymity, adding that "fresh thinking" was going into the final version.
Bureau Report