ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Monday there would be no sell-out on Kashmir, stating that Pakistan was not under any pressure whatsoever on the long-standing dispute.

Addressing a gathering of intellectuals at an Iftar-dinner, the president said Pakistan was for a peaceful settlement of the lingering Kashmir dispute with India.

He said a resolution of the issue had to be acceptable to all three parties concerned - Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people.

"I can never compromise on the interests of Pakistan, never will we sell out, never will we buckle under any pressure and there is no pressure on Pakistan," he said at the Aiwan-i-Sadr.

Expressing optimism vis-a-vis finding a solution to the issue, the president said he saw light at the end of the tunnel as there was a growing desire and realization among the people of the two countries that its peaceful settlement would lead to tremendous development of the region.

"We have to find a way forward," he said.

The president said the Kashmiris had to be part of the solution.

He further said he had not spelt out any solution to the dispute when he said that the Pakistani media should initiate a meaningful public debate on possible options.

On the issue of holding two offices, he said it was not a personal matter but should be viewed in a realistic light in the larger context of Pakistan's meeting internal and external challenges.

"Pakistan needs unity and stability, it needs a close harmony between politicians, bureaucracy and the military to keep moving forward in a sustainable manner on the path of socio-economic progress and also meet various internal and external challenges."

The issue of holding the two offices, he said, was not personal as he believed in drawing respect from the hearts.

The president referred to various challenges facing the country and appealed to the intellectuals to join hands with the government in weeding out the menace of extremism from society.

"We have to act, we cannot afford to be spectators. The moderate majority has to stop extremist minority. It is in Pakistan's interest to curb extremism and terrorism.

"We have to bring about a societal transformation, the moderates have to rise up to suppress extremism and make Pakistan a moderate progressive Islamic state," he underlined.

He informed the galaxy of writers, poets, authors and leading men of letters that Pakistan had effectively countered the recent misperceptions vis-à-vis unrest in Afghanistan, the "cross-border" infiltration and nuclear proliferation and now nobody was casting aspersions on the country.

President Musharraf said having steered Pakistan out of economic troubles in the last five years, the government was now focused on poverty reduction and socio-economic development across the country.

Referring to a host of steps, including the agricultural incentives to farmers, massive increase in credit amounts for farmers, lowering of interest rate from 14 to eight per cent on agri loans and extension of revolving credit facility, he said these would pave the way for higher agricultural growth.