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| Bhutto-Zardaris’ Indian Contact Helped break LoC Ice |
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan used track-II diplomacy to defuse tensions along the line of control (LoC) just after the killing of Indian soldiers and mutilation of their bodies earlier this month, which had threatened to set the border ablaze and push the dialogue process off rails.
Well-placed sources said that an Indian contact close to Pakistan's ruling Bhutto-Zardari family came in handy as the two sides groped for ways to keep talks on course amid rising fury in India over the killing of two soldiers, one of whom the Pakistani troopers beheaded.
When contacted, the Bhutto-Zardari contact confirmed playing a "small" role, but insisted on maintaining his anonymity.
Sources said that Indian authorities conveyed it to the Pakistani government that while they were keen to carry on the dialogue, the objective would be helped if Islamabad struck a conciliatory note.
GEO
