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India expects pullout to be over in a week

India today said there is "some evidence" of a Pakistani withdrawal from Indian territory in Kashmir and expects the pullout to be completed in a week.

"We have some evidence of withdrawal already taking place in the Kargil region," National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra told reporters after an all-party meeting, the third since the fighting began in Kargil, in which Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee briefed leaders of the opposition parties.

"Within seven days the status quo ante on the Line of Control will be restored if it goes according to plan," Mishra said.

After the withdrawal, India will go back to further talks in accordance with the Lahore Declaration, he added.

Army chief General Ved Prakash Malik and Air Chief Marshal Anil Yashwant Tipnis briefed the leaders of the opposition parties on behalf of the defence forces on the situation in the Kargil sector.

Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes and Mishra were present at the meeting.

The opposition leaders who attended the meeting were Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh (both Congress), Harkishen Singh Surjeet (CPI-M), Janeshwar Mishra (Samajwadi Party), M Thambi Durai (AIADMK), Laloo Prasad Yadav (RJD), Madhu Dandavate (Janata Dal), J Chittaranjan (CPI), Mayawati (BSP), Abani Roy (RSP), Devendranath Dwivedi (NCP), Dev Ranjan (Forward Bloc) and Jayanti Natarajan (TMC).

UNI

The Kargil Crisis

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