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| March 17, 2003 | Monday | Muharram 13, 1424 |
President wants talks on all issues with India
ISLAMABAD, March 16: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said India and Pakistan should move forward and hold talks on all outstanding issues including Kashmir.
In an interview to Indian channel Aaj Tak which was telecast on Pakistan Television on Sunday, he however said talks could not be held on issues like trade by leaving aside the Kashmir dispute.
He clarified that he never said talks should only be held on Kashmir issue during his visit to Aagra.
He said tensions between the two countries had been raised by design and purpose.
“I honestly think that tensions have been raised by design. I personally have not taken a single step which increased tension. After my visit to Aagra, I said that even if we did not achieve anything, we will not talk about this,” he added.
He recalled, “even during a press interview, some people talked insultingly about Indian leaders. I admonished them that I do not want to listen to this. You cannot call any leader like this. I was doing everything to continue with peace but things went ahead and got deteriorated.”
What happened after Aagra, continuously a malicious campaign was run and many statements were issued against Pakistan and me, the President said.
“I was resisting that I will not say anything. Surely look at the historical facts, who was speaking what. I took a number of steps which should have given the reason that we will move towards peace. My speech of January 12 was reason enough,” he added.
To a question Gen Musharraf strongly denied that India provided evidence to Pakistan against terrorists.
“No evidence was given. A list of 20 men was given. Don’t know how old it was,” he added.
He further said, “frankly, the two countries have intelligence agencies. The agencies all over the world do the same thing. Let’s not get involved in what they do.”
“I can also give names to the Indian government. We know where there are training camps against Pakistan. What is being done for Sindh. We know who is getting training there. Therefore, don’t get bogged down in it,” he said.
“I am saying move ahead. Say it will not happen in future. You (India) also say that certainly we will not do this thing. We will not destabilise each other. We will not work against each others interests. We move forward to find solution to the problems and resolve them,” he added.
To a question, President Musharraf said he had banned Lashkar- i-Taiba of Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-i-Muhammad of Masood Azhar and declared them illegal. All their offices were sealed and accounts frozen. They were sent behind bars.
“There is nothing illegal that they have done so we can put them on trial. For how long we can keep them behind bars. You cannot keep them indefinitely under arrest without any trial. Everywhere there is a legal system. Pakistan has also one.”—APP
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