Indian troops pulled out as Mr Singh arrived

The press in India and Pakistan gives much thought to the visit to Kashmir by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Delhi papers welcome the Indian troop withdrawal which began as Mr Singh arrived, but Kashmir dailies are less confident about the future.

Some Pakistani papers see the pullout as a step in the right direction, although there are warnings in others that too much optimism is misplaced.

These are not ordinary steps and the world should be now convinced that the situation has indeed improved in Jammu and Kashmir... India is reducing its troop presence and there can be no bigger evidence that the situation is improving than that. And it is for Pakistan to play by the rules of the game now.

New Delhi's Hindustan Times

Despite their aggressiveness and fury, the terrorists seem to be gradually losing their clout... The government will continue with its efforts. For instance, despite terrorist activities, the task of withdrawing troops has begun according to an earlier announcement. Experience shows that some knots take a long time to unravel. But as the prime minister has pointed out, it is not just a bag full of money. It is a part of a long-term plan to revive the economy.

New Delhi's Navbharat Times

The powers that be have allowed the ogre of militancy to grow and an atmosphere has been created where all other problems will have to wait until a solution is found to the 'Kashmir problem'. It has been close to two decades now and the state has already missed out on the rapid strides that have been made elsewhere in the country and across the world. If the current mindset continues, prime ministers will come and go and, decades down the line, the people of the state will still be presenting memoranda seeking relief.

Jammu's Kashmir Times

Manmohan Singh will greatly enhance his credibility if he unambiguously asserts Jammu and Kashmir's Indian identity... Politicians of all hues should know that so long as our generals and soldiers tell us they are willing to shed their blood for the defence of the motherland, so long as they do not publicly declare that they can no longer face the war of a thousand cuts, we will stand firm. The fatigue of old and tired men cannot be attributed to the nation.

Srinagar's Daily Excelsior

The decision to reduce the number of Indian troops in occupied Kashmir can be termed as a good beginning in the right direction... While the present step shows flexibility from the Indian side, which is quite a hopeful advance, it should also be kept in mind that the process of dialogue visible on the surface is also accompanied by similar talks in the background. Success is possible on both levels, only if the countries want to make these talks meaningful.

Islamabad's The News

However small, the first withdrawals should be seen in a constructive spirit... A psychological divide has been crossed, in that there is general recognition in both India and Pakistan that we have to move away from encrusted positions, and the options outlined by Gen Musharraf in his speech last month should be seen as part of this recognition.

Karachi's Dawn

The decision by the Indian government to withdraw 40,000 troops from occupied Kashmir can be called a step in the right direction. Our Foreign Office rightly expects that the reduction of Indian forces in Kashmir will promote an environment for peaceful dialogue. It will also increase the confidence of the Kashmiri people in the process of dialogue.

Karachi's Jang

The decision to withdraw 40,000 troops, for which India is taking credit, is not a sincere step. We shall see how many troops are pulled out of the cities and how many from the areas which are vacated every year at the onset of winter, as the weather conditions do not permit them to stay there.

Islamabad's Nawa-i-Waqt

Pakistan should shed its policy of unveiling grand proposals and displaying overwhelming optimism... The exit of 1,000 paratroopers, or even eventually of 9,000, from the huge total of 700,000 is a drop in the ocean. We need tangible signs that core political issues are being addressed instead of reading too much into mere promises.

Lahore's The Nation

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