EVEN if, as grimly seems to be the case, the kidnapping of Blackburn student Paul Wells by separatist terrorists in Kashmir four years ago has resulted in his murder, it is no reason now for the quest for the truth to be eased.

And our government is quite right to pledge today to not let up.

For, whatever Paul's fate, the responsibility for what befell him - and the anguish to which his family have been exposed - has to be borne by the perpetrators and by the authorities on both sides of the Pakistani-Indian divide in strife-torn Kashmir.

And since the Pakistani government has latent sympathy with the aims of the terrorists groups fighting to separate Muslim-dominated Kashmir from mainly-Hindu India, particular pressure must be applied on it by the Foreign Office for a determined and successful investigation.

As we see today, from the apology Libya has now delivered for the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside its embassy in London 15 years ago, diplomatic pressure can bring results.

Truth and justice should remain the goal in the case of Paul Wells - no matter how long it takes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.