ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday confirmed he was in contact with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Kashmir issue and underscored that their effort was aimed at making headway towards the resolution of the dispute.

He was responding to a question during an interaction with the media representatives at an Iftar-dinner hosted by the ministry of information and broadcasting.

Asked if any behind-the-scene talk was going on between him and Mr Singh on Kashmir, the president said: “Yes, there is talk on Kashmir.”

He said they needed the support of the media on this front.

“We want to move forward on Kashmir and we are both prepared to step backwards and it means compromise. Everyone should understand,” he said. “Let me assure you that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and I are trying our best to move forward.”

He expressed the hope that something substantive would be achieved during the Indian leader’s visit to Pakistan.

On Siachen and Sir Creek his view was: “These are two issues that can be resolved tomorrow.” He said if there was political will the decision could be taken in just one meeting.

Defending Mr Singh on this count, he said: “It is unkind of anyone to criticise the Indian prime minister.”

In reply to a question, Gen Musharraf said Dr A. Q. Khan used to be his hero but he was no longer his hero.

The president snubbed a questioner who referred to President Hamid Karzai as an ‘Indian agent’ and told him that the Afghan leader commanded respect as the head of a state.

Asked if Pakistan had any role in the nuclear bomb tested by North Korea, he said: “This is a plutonium bomb and we are going on the uranium route.”