ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: PML-N Information Secretary Siddiqul Farooque has said the interests and security of Pakistan is totally unsafe in the hands of Gen Pervez Musharraf and his removal from power is imperative to ensure national security.

Speaking at a press conference on completion of Gen Musharraf's five years in power on Tuesday, the PML-N information secretary alleged that Gen Pervez Musharraf was compromising the country's national interests only to prolong his rule.

Mr Farooque also alleged that Gen Musharraf had taken a complete U-turn on the country's more than 50-year-old Kashmir policy after sabotaging the peace process initiated by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said Mr Sharif tried hard to resolve the Kashmir dispute with dignity and honour. Mr Sharif's meetings with four Indian prime ministers and the nuclear tests were also part of that endeavour, he added.

He said the result of Mr Sharif's efforts emerged in the shape of Lahore Declaration. "However, Gen Pervez Musharraf sabotaged that process with the Kargil misadventure," he added.

Mr Farooque said during the five years of his rule, Gen Musharraf yielded to the Indian demand of resolving the Kashmir issue without reference to the UN resolutions.

Gen Musharraf accepted the Indian accusation of terrorism in occupied Kashmir during his meeting with former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Islamabad on January 6 and gave an undertaking in writing that "he will not permit any territory under Pakistan's control to be used to support terrorism against India."

Moreover, he said, Gen Musharraf declared unilateral ceasefire along the Line of Control to allow India erect an iron fence along the LoC. On July 12, former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and later official spokesman Sheikh Rashid Ahmed negated Quaid-i- Azam's pronouncement and declared that Kashmir was not Pakistan's jugular vein.

"As a result of this policy of the Musharraf administration, Pakistan has been deprived of the support from not only world community but also from its faithful friends," he said.

"In view of the steps taken by Gen Musharraf during past five years, we are justified to believe that he is going to sacrifice the interests of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people in order to protect and prolong his unconstitutional rule, and practically hand over Kashmir to India.

"Like Yahya Khan lost East Pakistan, the way to fall of Kashmir is being paved at the hands of Gen Musharraf," Mr Farooque added. Throwing national dignity to winds, and as opposed to policies of elected governments, he said, Gen Musharraf 'begged' over 100 times for talks with India resulting in weakening of Pakistan's position.

Later, he said, Gen Musharraf announced on national and international forums that the UN resolutions would have to be set aside to solve the Kashmir problem. "That was a complete retreat from UN-recognized position of Pakistan, and consequently our friends abandoned their support on the Kashmir issue," he said.

The PML-N leader said, "despite Gen Musharraf's complete retreat form the cause of Kashmir, unmistakable deviation from national position, and his obsequious attitude toward Indian leadership, India had once again hardened its stance with demands of more concessions. "We are afraid that if Gen Musharraf remains in power any longer, he might deprive Pakistan of Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas as well."