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CE urges Muslim world to pressure India to solve Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf has called on the Islamic countries to exert political and economic pressure on India to resolve the long-running Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.

"Pakistan is expecting from all Muslims, leaders and peoples all over the Islamic world, especially OIC, to support their Kashmiri brothers. They must pressurise the Indian government on diplomatic and economic levels to comply with the international resolutions concerning Kashmir," he said in an interview with leading Kuwait-based Arabic journal 'Al-Mujtama'.

He said Pakistan extends political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmir cause, pointing out that enlightenment of Arab peoples will have great effect on Kashmiri freedom struggle. He said his government is committed to strengthening of Pakistan's relations with and Islamic world.

The Chief Executive said that Kashmir has remained an unresolved issue on the agenda of the United Nations for more than half a century owing to obstinate position of successive Indian governments. "Kashmir has a strong legal position."

He added, that the East Timor issue was solved in less than one year. We appeal to the International community to solve Kashmir issue, similarly.

He said, East Timor differed from Kashmir as the former was separated from Indonesia while Kashmir has never been part of India.

Responding to a question on Indian propaganda maligning Kashmiri struggle as cross-border terrorism, he said: "I would like to clarify hat the concept of 'Jehad' in Islam is a religious duty and has no relation with terrorism."

He added: "Islam allows Muslims to fight their enemies. They defend their freedom and existence. Jihad is a religious obligation on each Muslim."

On the other hand, General Musharraf said, "Islam does not allow terrorist acts."

He said 10 years back when India closed the doors of hope for Kashmiri people to have the right for self-determination, and when 700,000 Indian soldiers had been deployed in occupied Kashmir," the Kashmiri people started Jehad to protect their souls, children, houses and shops."

In this way, he said, "many Kashmiri organisations were established in Kashmir. Pakistan cannot oppose this movement."

About the growing Indo-Israeli military cooperation, Musharraf said that Pakistan was observing these developments closely.

He declared, "Pakistan army has power and ability to deter any aggression. This is obvious and realised by all," he said. APP