THE KARGIL issue has saddened most Pakistanis. First, such a situation should not have been allowed to develop. But once it had, the government ought to have stuck to its guns. The government's mishandling of the whole situation, especially the caving in under the American pressure, has riled the citizens. Naturally, the government's credibility is at its lowest since it won the election.

Frontier Post, Pakistan

THERE IS little point at present in taking any step with regard to the Line of Control. Such a move must await, first, a complete elimination of Pak-sponsored terrorism and, secondly, an unambiguous sign from Islamabad that it seriously desires peace instead of going through the motions of holding talks while sending infiltrators across the border. Since it is by no means certain that Pakistan intends to do either of the two, India need not go out of its way to offer to make the LoC a permanent border.

The Hindustan Times, India

FOR KASHMIR, the Lahore process has been killed by the Kargil flareup ending in the Washington fiasco. So also any near-term chances of mediation. After the nuclear blasts of May 1998, the test was to be more of the inner strengths of India and Pakistan than of their military might. Within a year, Pakistan has crumpled. Its economic vulnerability destroyed institutions, a farcical democracy and an erratic, secretive and unaccountable leadership steeped in sycophancy could do no better. But to the royal trumpeters, Washington was another "victory". So, no question of taking responsibility and, God forbid, resigning.

News International, Pakistan

ISLAMABAD'S RECIDIVISM has led some people in India to believe that unless Pakistan is punished severely for all its aggressions, another aggression might well be initiated a few years down the road. While this anger is understandable, there must be a reasoned policy on how to deal with the post-Kargil situation. India has no quarrel with the Pakistani people. Rather, our problem is with their rulers.

The Times of India