LONDON, May 28: President Pervez Musharraf has said sanity demands avoidance of war between two South Asian neighbours but Pakistan could not compromise its honour in pursuit of peace.

“Sanity demands avoidance of war but at the same time in the pursuit of peace you cannot compromise on honour and dignity so one has to strike a balance between maintaining honour and dignity and going for peace also,” he told Financial Times in an interview.

“There is a lot of tension, war hysteria. Nobody wants to go to war. I am sure India doesn’t because it will damage both the countries. There is no walk-over here by any side. I am sure the Indians also know that,” he said.

Responding to a question on Indian allegations of infiltration across the Line of Control, he was quoted as saying by the FT: “I said nothing is happening across the Line of Control. So whether India accepts it or not, they cannot be the accusers and judges both. We don’t accept that. They have always been accusing us of everything and I have laid out many areas where there is no evidence, there is no proof”.

The President said: “I am a realist. There are very serious problems between the two countries which are a cause of tension which has given rise to three wars here. Other than wars there are battles going on almost every second day. People are dying on the borders, on the Line of Control. Why should we not address these problems?

“I am for addressing the problems. We need to address the Kashmir issue — that is all that I am saying. This is no bluff, this is realism. Unfortunately we don’t see the same realism from across the border,” he was quoted as saying.

Responding to a question on elections planned for September in Indian administered Kashmir, the President said: “Our stance is the stance of the people of Kashmir. Whatever their stance we are with them and we are very, very clear what their stance is. They certainly do not want to go for these elections, because it is illegal. Kashmir is not a part of India. Kashmir is a disputed territory in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the people of Kashmir don’t at all feel a part of India. Anything happening within the constitution of India is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir. It is irrelevant what we think about it. It’s the people of Kashmir on whom this election is being imposed, it is their thoughts and we are with them in their thoughts,” he said.

To a question on Kashmiri moderates participating in these elections, President Musharraf said, “this is what they (Indian) are trying since ages. This is their main strategy to divide the Kashmiris somehow. This main political body, main political representation of the Kashmiris, is the APHC. They (Indians) are trying their best to create a wedge within this (body). I am very clear that APHC and Kashmiris are unanimous in their view that any kind of dispensation within the constitution of India is not acceptable to them”.—APP