'Let us solve Kashmir first'

Ahead of his next month's visit to India, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today said the confidence-building measures (CBMs) like the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service would "lose their credibility" if the Kashmir issue was not resolved.

The two countries should explore options for the resolution of the Kashmir problem in the light of the September 2004 statement issued after his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York, "which are acceptable to all parties - Pakistan, India and Kashmiri people," he said addressing a military parade held to celebrate the Pakistani national day here.

Musharraf, who would be watching the last one-dayer of Indo-Pak cricket series on April 17, said the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, scheduled to start on April 7, "is not a substitute for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir issue but a confidence-building measure."

"If the real problems with India are not resolved, confidence-building measures would lose their credibility," the General said.

He, however, maintained that the confidence-building measures and dialogue between Pakistan and India should continue simultaneously.

Asking both India and Pakistan to move away from their "complicated past", Musharraf urged the two sides to show "flexibility, courage and honesty of intentions to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir."

"The two countries should display sincerity, flexibility and initiate bold measures to resolve Kashmir and other contentious issues," he said.

"Pakistan wants friendship with all its neighbours on the principles of peace and sovereign equality but would not accept any pressure," he said.

During his visit to India, second after the failed Agra summit in 2001, Musharraf is expected to hold talks with the Prime Minister. External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said recently that India was willing to hold talks on any issue the Pakistan President wanted to discuss during his visit.

Hailing the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, Musharraf said, "it will help resolve the problems of Kashmiri people and reunite families on both sides of the Line of Control."

Asserting that Pakistan would continue to extend "diplomatic and political support" to the Kashmiri people, he said, "we stand by the Kashmiris in their struggle."

Cautioning about the "internal threat" posed by terrorism, Musharraf said, "Pakistan faced no external threat," and stressed on the importance of building strong defence forces.