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Musharraf: it’s state terrorism

ISLAMABAD: The embattled President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday waded into the heightening rhetoric in Pakistan on the unrest in Kashmir, condemning what he said was “state terrorism” by India and calling for a negotiated settlement.

The Foreign Ministry said separately it would approach the U.N. and Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to ask India to “exercise restraint” and “rein in extremist elements” who were destroying the Kashmiri economy with their blockade of the Valley.

The Associated Press of Pakistan reported that the retired General Musharraf, who faces an impeachment motion by the ruling coalition, “strongly condemned” the killing of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz by Indian security forces, and called it an act of “state terrorism.”

He said this in a meeting with Raja Zulqurnain Khan, president of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, who called on him on Wednesday.

APP reported that the President “stressed [the need] for a negotiated settlement of [the] Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.”

The Foreign Office, meanwhile, again expressed concern over the situation in the Kashmir Valley. Spokesman Mohammmed Sadiq dismissed the Indian rebuke to Islamabad to keep off its internal affairs.

The Indian warning came in response to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s statement that the use of force by the Indian security forces in Kashmir that led to the death of the Hurriyat leader was “unwarranted and excessive.”

Mr. Sadiq said at a regular weekly briefing that Jammu and Kashmir was “disputed territory” as per the U.N. resolutions, and also considered as such by the composite dialogue process.

He said Pakistan was “deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir that is resulting in loss of life and property of the Kashmiri people.”

He said it was “important that an enabling environment, free of violence, is created to sustain the peace process and address the long-standing dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Pakistan would approach the U.N. and OIC to “impress on India” the need to act with restraint and “rein in extremist elements who are seeking the economic destruction of the Kashmiri people,” he added.

The Foreign Office spokesman added that the situation in Kashmir would not change Pakistan’s position on the need for dialogue with India.

Separately, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, who was speaking in the National Assembly, also emphasised the need to continue the peace process. Asked what Pakistan was doing about India’s go-ahead to trekkers on the Siachen glacier, Ms. Rehman said Islamabad was “not sleeping.”

She said Pakistan had already proposed a plan for disengagement of troops from the glacier, and urged India to accept the proposals at the earliest.

Ms. Rehman said the issue was part of the composite dialogue, and Pakistan would take up the matter again in the coming round of the talks with India.

In response to a supplementary that the issue of Sir Creek was also under discussion with India, Ms. Rehmansaid: “We want to resolve all our disputes with India not through war but through dialogue and the peace process.”

Indian diplomats here said they were concerned at the sharp spike in the anti-India rhetoric and had appealed to the leaders of the ruling coalition for moderation.

“But they obviously don’t want to be outflanked by the opposition on this issue,” said a senior Indian diplomat, adding more such statements were likely with Pakistan’s internal political turmoil increasing.

The PML(Q), which is dealing with a spate of desertions as the ruling coalition’s move to impeach General Musharraf gathers strength, used the Kashmir issue to launch a frontal attack on the PPP-led government on Tuesday, accusing it of an “apologetic” attitude to India.

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