Peace activist Ms. Nirmala Deshpande and Admiral L. Ramdas became the first victims of India's diplomatic measures to pressure Pakistan to curb terrorist groups on its soil. 

Ms. Deshpande, Admiral Ramdas and the former Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Moti Dar, were to visit Islamabad at the invitation of the Indo-Pak. Soldiers' Initiative for Peace. This organisation of retired soldiers, headed by Vice- Admiral (Retd.) Inder Bed! from the Indian side and Brig. (retd.) Abid Hamid Rao from the Pakistani, is meant to encourage people- to-people contacts between the two countries. A meeting of the Indian delegation with the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had also been scheduled for Sunday.  

Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Deshpande said the group was unable to visit Pakistan due to "logistical" reasons. The three-' member delegation, she said, was first planning to visit islamabad by road, but were unable to do so primarily because of climatic conditions. Given the upcoming flight restrictions, they decided to take a PIA flight on Friday. "We wished to, take a flight and return by air on December 31." However, the group was told just before the flight's departure that it was full. Intervention by their friends in Pakistan to facilitate their out- of-turn entry into the plane came too late.    

Ms. Deshpande however, clarified that no "political connotation" involving either India, Pakistan should be attached the group's inability to visit Pakistan. "There was no human hand involved. We were simply not des- tined to visit Pakistan now," she added.