Zardari says violation will damage ties

By Shafqat Ali

Islamabad

Oct. 12: Pakistan Pre-sident Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that violation of Indus Water Treaty by India will damage the bilateral ties the two countries have built over the years.

Pointing to the ramifications of the violation of the treaty, President Zardari said, "India should not trade off important regional objectives for short-term domestic goals."

In a statement issued here, he said Pakistan expects India to abide by international agreements on sharing of water in the Indus river system.

"Pakistan would be paying a very high price for India’s move to block Pakistan’s water supply from the Chenab river. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured me in our meeting in New York that his country is seriously committed to water sharing treaty. We expect him to stand by his commitment," President Zardari said.

He said that the government is pursuing the issue of India’s violation of agreement on water supply at the highest level.

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‘Kashmir trade pact a big step’

By OUR PAKISTAN

CORRESPONDENT

Islamabad

Oct. 12: Pakistan foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday that composite dialogue between Pakistan and India has entered into the fifth round and added that the intra-Kashmir trade pact finalised during Delhi talks was a big achievement.

Talking to reporters in Multan, Mr Qureshi said that one should not underestimate this development. "It will have a far reaching impact as far as the economic integration to facilitate Kashmiri people is concerned," he added. The trade between Indian Kashmir and Pakistan Administered Kash-mir through Line Of Control will be launched on October 21, he said.