ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The president’s spokesman emphatically said on Wednesday that no change in the cabinet by induction of politicians was contemplated and nothing of the sort had been discussed by Gen Pervez Musharraf in his recent interaction with political leaders.

Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi was speaking at the daily Foreign Office news briefing with FO Additional Secretary Aziz Khan.

The president’s spokesman repudiated reports that the change was in the offing after President Musharraf had held a meeting with some members of the Quaid-i-Azam Muslim League led by Mian Azhar on Tuesday.

As in the past, Maj-Gen Qureshi said, the president had been interacting with representatives of various segments of society and political parties to discuss the situation that existed today as well as in the recent past.

“No, repeat no, change in the government is being contemplated,” he said, expressing the hope that such speculations would be avoided once and for all.

The FO spokesman said that Pakistan had never accepted Kashmir as part of India. Therefore, he added, settlement of the Kashmir dispute which originated with the partition, was an issue which remained to be decided. Indian assertion that giving up Kashmir or its part to Pakistan would amount to accepting “another partition” was baseless.

Maj-Gen Qureshi said that though Indian leaders had been indulging in strident language against Pakistan, Islamabad continued to observe its policy of seeking settlement through dialogue. However, he added, not being unmindful of its defence, the country continued to exercise maximum restraint.

The FO spokesman said it was incorrect to suggest that Pakistan had agreed to allow an additional number of Afghans, up to 300,000, to cross into Pakistan. Only in exceptional cases and on compassionate grounds women, children and sick persons were being permitted to enter Pakistan, he explained.