Lashkar denies hand

ISLAMABAD, Dec 25 (PTI, DPA) — Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba today denied any involvement in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane and urged the hijackers to release the 161 passengers on board.

“Lashkar-e-Toiba has no connection whatsoever with the hijacking of the plane,” a spokesman of the group told PTI.

“Our target is the Indian troop and our “jehad” is bound by limitations of Shariat in which there is no scope of harming innocents, kidnapping and hijacking,” he said.

Condemning the incident, he urged the hijackers to release the innocent passengers.

Lashkar-e-Toiba is operating in the Kashmir valley for several years and was actively involved in the recent Kargil conflict.

In New Delhi senior Akali Dal leader and former Union Minister S.S. Barnala had told reporters that the hijackers are believed to be members of Lashker-e-Toiba and they have demanded release of two Kashmiri militants.

Don’t drag Pak into controversy, says Sattar

ISLAMABAD, Dec 25 (PTI) — Pakistan tonight cautioned against any “hysteria” in India to drag Islamabad into the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft and advocated an early dialogue between the Indian authorities and the hijackers to avoid any greater harm.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar was strongly critical of the Indian media for attempting to bring his country into the episode and said that some people in India had been hysterical.

In an interview to Pakistan TV, he said India should act with “probity, discretion and reason” to avoid any greater harm.

According to Mr Sattar, best results in such situation were obtained through dialouge. “I hope this is kept in view by the government of India,” he remarked.

The Pakistan Foreign Minister also promised full cooperation to Indian authorities in bringing this “horrible act” to a safe end.

Asked about possible motivations of the hijackers, he said usually they had a sense of grievance against the authorities of the country concerned.

When asked whether his country was prepared for any contingency, he said the authorities had taken into account all contingencies in the event of the plane heading towards Pakistan again.

The Pakistani Foreign Office in a statement also accused the Indian media of indulging in Pakistan bashing despite the fact that External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh publicly acknowledged the help and assistance provided by Islamabad during the crisis period last evening.

“It is deplorable that the Indian media is exploiting the fate of more than 150 of its innocent nationals in a perverse attempt at propaganda against Pakistan,” the statement said.

It also referred to the fact that last evening Pakistan first refused to allow the plane to land at Lahore but later permitted it to land on humanitarian considerations and in response to appeals made by the Indian authorities.

The statement said Mr Jaswant Singh also appreciated the move by the Pakistani authorities to place a helicopter at the disposal of the Indian High Commissioner Mr G. Parthasarthy, to fly to Lahore as no immediate flight was available.

“Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Pakistan considers hijacking as a particularly heinous crime as it puts innocent lives at risk”, the statement said.