Musharraf condemns blast in Samjhota Express; Kasuri to visit India
'Pakistan Times' Wire Service

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf has expressed profound grief and shock over the tragic loss of lives in the bomb blast that occurred on Pakistan bound train 'Samjhota Express' near Panipat, India.

The President condoled with the bereaved families and expressed the hope that the Indian government would take all necessary measures to bring the culprits of this heinous crime to justice.

President Musharraf underscored the need for the leadership of Pakistan and India to move forward undeterred in the quest for dispute resolution and lasting peace in the region.

He said, "We will not allow elements which want to sabotage the ongoing peace process and succeed in their nefarious designs."

The President said such wanton acts of terrorism will only serve to further strengthen the resolve to attain the mutually desired objective of sustainable peace between the two countries.

Kausri to Visit India

Pakistan's Foreign Minister is going ahead with a trip to India on Tuesday as planned despite bomb blasts on a train in India that killed at least 66 people, most of them Pakistanis.

"Why should it be changed?" said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ms Tasnim Aslam told 'Pakistan Times' [Daily Web Newspaper] when asked about Kasuri's trip for talks on the tentative peace process.

Ms Aslam said initial reports suggested most of the victims on the train bound for Pakistan were Pakistanis.

"We condemn this act of terrorism in which many precious lives have been lost," she said.

"It is the responsibility of the Indian authorities to provide security to the train inside Indian territory. We expect Indian authorities to punish the perpetrators," she remarked.●