Before boarding a special IAF Boeing-737 aircraft for Islamabad for the Saarc summit, he told reporters at Delhi airport, "India is interested in making this a permanent ceasefire. It is incumbent on both countries to ensure that the ceasefire holds.

"It will be our hope that both India and Pakistan will continue to ensure that this ceasefire remains in place."

Asked whether there will be any bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani leaders on the sidelines of the Saarc summit, Sinha said "there will be meetings. There will be a number of occasions for official meetings and meeting socially. Apart from that there is no other meeting planned."

AFP adds: Kashmiris living along the disputed border between India and Pakistan will be watching every move of the two countries' leaders next week, aware the regional summit's fate could mirror their own.

"We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," said Abdul Rashid in Teetwal.

His village on the Line of Control which divides Kashmir has been silent since India and Pakistan entered a November 26 ceasefire, one of a slew of peace-building moves between the rival neighbours.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will pay his first visit to Pakistan in five years for the seven-nation South Asian summit, although New Delhi insists there will be no bilateral negotiations.

"There is hope that leaders of the two countries might talk on the side of the summit at least to prolong peace on the borders," Rashid said.

"Everyone is hopeful something good will emerge out of the summit," he said.

But there are fears, too.

The last summit between Vajpayee and Musharraf, in the Indian city of Agra in July 2001, was also preceded by a lull in border scuffles between Indian and Pakistani troops and an easing of separatist violence inside the province.