ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Monday that Kashmiris have rejected the sham elections in the held Kashmir with marginal turnout.

Talking to reporters after laying foundation stone of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), he said the turnout in the first phase of elections in the occupied Kashmir was from two to 10 per cent only. “Claims to the contrary by the Indian officials were total lies.”

Asked that the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was refusing to enter into dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the outstanding issues including Kashmir and to reduce tension on the borders, Gen Musharraf said Pakistan had no problem and difficulty if New Delhi was not ready for talks.

About the amendments in the Saarc charter, the President said these could not be made until there was a consensus. “What is the utility of Saarc if it is unable to help in the resolution of problems between the member states,” he added and emphasised the need for improvements in the charter of the organisation.

He said Pakistan’s stand in Saarc was that it must meet at the summit level every year and no one should scuttle it.

Earlier, the president said a new dynamic University Act would be enforced very soon to improve the quality of higher education. The president said under the Act there would be a board to oversee the performance of each university. Selection on the board as well as in the faculties would be on the basis of merit and merit alone.

He said the government has evolved a new strategy of higher education for science and technology to compete in women development and education with the developed countries. “That is the only road to take Pakistan forward in economic development and other sectors.”

He said the government was giving highest possible priority to education particularly science and technology. “It wanted to improve the literacy level, increase enrolment in primary and higher education and improve Maddresa education,” he added.

Gen Musharraf said the government had launched many development projects to generate more money, increase GDP and revive economy in the short term perspective. He said in the long run the focus would shift to education.

He said foreign funds to the tune of $800 million had been promised to Pakistan for the coming three years in the field of education, “if we keep moving in an organized manner”.

He said the government would provide funds to the universities in a systematic manner. “They will be provided funds to ensure their functioning and to meet their development needs like establishment of labs and libraries.” Another criteria for more allocations to these universities would be their output.

He said under this scheme Rs 40 million had been given to universities during the current financial year.

He said the University Grant Commission had been emerged with National Commission for Higher Education.

The rector of NUST, Syed Shujaat Hussain, in his welcome address said they university had ten colleges and institutes covering 15 hi-tech disciplines.