Time running out on LoC proposal: Pak

Warning that "time is running out" to act on President Pervez Musharraf's proposal to open LoC for divided Kashmiri families to take part in quake relief work, Pakistan's relief commissioner on Friday said the window may close if there are long parleys with India for modalities. Apparently directing criticism at his own government, Major General Farooq Ahmad Khan told a press conferece in Islamabad that as a relief commissioner he was more concerned that meetings have not materialised.

"My knowledge is that no families have been allowed to meet each other up till now at the LoC. My concern is that time is running out. If there are long parleys for modalities, then the window is closing," he said. Khan made the remarks a day after claiming that India had rejected the President's offer.

However, the Pakistan foreign office later clarified that Islamabad was still finalising proposals to be forwarded to New Delhi. The relief chief on Friday said that Pakistan had already made the proposal three days ago and no families have been allowed to meet so far.

"As a relief commissioner I am concerned that families could not join each other's sorrow. The proposal was given two or three days ago. There are modalities to be worked out between the two sides. That is a different issue. "My concern is that in the hour of need they should get together. As far as more details are concerned you could refer to respectable experts," he said in reply to a question.

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