Claiming complete support of the army for his peace initiatives with India, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, in an interview telecast on CNN/IBN news channel, offered to join the fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir if New Delhi agreed to pull out troops from Srinagar, Kupwara and Baramulla, considered to be the hotbed of militancy.
Musharraf also said he was disappointed at the lack of progress in the peace process and complained there was "not much" response from India to the ideas thrown by him for resolution of the Kashmir issue.
"I propose one way of moving forward... Take three towns of the Valley -- Srinagar, Kupwara and Baramulla. Let all military move out of the cities to the outskirts, and we ensure there is no militancy inside," he said.
India rejected Musharraf's statement saying, "Movement of troops or their redeployment essentially has to be a decision of the Government of India. Such decisions are based on our assessment of the security situation prevailing in any part of the country. As long as the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and in other parts of the country is adversely affected by the phenomenon of cross border terrorism and violence perpetrated by the Pakistan-based terrorist groups, the government will fulfill its responsibility to safeguard lives and security of its citizens."
In Picture: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Photograph : KHALED FAZAA/AFP/Getty Images
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