LAHORE, May 25: Punjab PPP(SB) president Dr Mubashir Hasan said on Friday that war could be imposed on Pakistan under pressure from Indian army.

Addressing a news conference here, Dr Hasan said India did not want to attack Pakistan. Its only aim was to harass Islamabad. However, he said Pakistan was not afraid of any war threats and was ready to meet any challenge to its sovereignty and independence.

He said India wanted to hold elections in Kashmir to obtain ‘required’ results. Even then, he said, Pakistan should allow it to do so while continuing its (Islamabad’s) moral and political support to Kashmiris.

Dr Hasan said the hatred between Kashmiris and Indian government had reached the limits where they could not accept each other.

He said India now wanted a way out and Pakistan should consider this situation. The Vajpayee government was stuck up in its internal issues and had failed to solve problems in Assam, eastern states and Kashmir.

Referring to the Kashmir issue, he said, about six years ago the then Indian prime minister, Narasimha Rao, had announced to give autonomy to Kashmir. The Kashmir assembly headed by Farooq Abduallah had also passed a resolution for full autonomy. But, he said, no Indian government had so far talked to any Kashmiri leader on this subject.

Dr Hasan said the BJP government had also failed to intervene and stop riots against Muslims in Gujarat despite provisions in the Indian constitution.

About the forthcoming elections, he said the new government would be no different to previous set ups in Pakistan.

He said the government’s economic policies also did not provide any relief to the common man.

He said under the devolution plan power should have been transferred to the grassroots level.

He also said Pakistan was making genuine efforts to curb terrorism.