ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf claimed on Thursday that the back channel diplomacy between Pakistan and India was looking at a number of proposals on resolution of Kashmir and as and when the ideas took concrete shape, they would be moved to the `front channel.'

Addressing the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors in Lahore, Gen. Musharraf said confidence- building measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan were moving ahead and Pakistan was trying to speed up the "process of dispute resolution" as well.

Gen. Musharraf claimed that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference supported the ideas of demilitarisation and self-governance on both sides of Kashmir. Islamabad insists that it has made formal proposals to New Delhi on the two subjects. However, India has maintained that the subjects have figured in the `passing' and there has been no discussion on them.

The Pakistan President maintained that Pakistan has presented a number of ideas on Kashmir. "The back channel diplomacy between the two countries is taking up these and when something concrete comes up, it would be brought to the front channel," he told the gathering.

On the raging controversy within the country on construction of big dams, Gen. Musharraf said the Government would take a judicious decision on construction of water reservoirs. Striking a tough posture against those opposed to big dams, he asserted that overlooking the vital issue in view of the growing shortfall of the natural resource would amount to a betrayal of the nation. He also told the gathering that the Government was striving to evolve a consensus on the subject, favoured an open discussion on the issue and was prepared to extend constitutional and administrative guarantees to Sindh province.

"The water shortfall will gravely impact the agrarian sector and the 70 per cent of population living in rural areas as their very livelihood is dependent on the availability of water," he said and went on to add that Pakistan must deal with the issue strategically to have enough water for its agricultural and industrial growth. He said that the previous governments pushed the issue under the carpet but said the Shaukat Aziz Government was committed to taking a decision after developing a consensus. "We are endeavouring to develop a consensus and address reservations at the lowest level, and I shall revisit the province and North West Frontier Province as well to remove suspicions and build up trust."

Gen. Musharraf said the country needed two to three dams by 2016 to meet the shortfall of 15-20 million acre feet and said that the downstream province of Sindh would suffer the most if new dams were not built. Commenting on the law and order situation in Balochistan, Gen. Musharraf said the Government would continue to follow people-focused development. "An overwhelming majority of people wants development of the province," he said and expressed a firm resolve to successfully and simultaneously address major issues including national finance commission award, rebuilding of quake-hit areas, water issues and the situation in Balochistan.

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