ISLAMABAD, Dec 1: President Pervez Musharraf said on Monday that Pakistan was ready to withdraw its 50,000 troops from the Line of Control provided India pulled back its 700,000 troops from occupied Kashmir.

The president was replying to a question in a BBC Radio’s programme “Talking Point” which was broadcast live to millions of Hindi and Urdu listeners.

When asked would Pakistan withdraw its troops from the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir, the president said: “Pakistan has just 50,000 troops in Azad Kashmir compared to India’s massive buildup in occupied Kashmir.”

The president said that Kashmir was a political dispute and there should be a political solution of the dispute, acceptable to Pakistan, India as well as Kashmiris.

“Kashmir is a political dispute, we have to sit down and find a political solution which is acceptable to Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people,” he said.

President Musharraf stated that a lot of positive developments were taking place between the two countries. He, however, called for patience, sincerity and flexibility in order to move forward for resolution of all outstanding issues and achievement of a durable peace in the region.

“But we should not be complacent as it is a beginning, it is not that we have achieved everything at this stage — it is just a beginning, we should work with patience, flexibility and sincerity to carry forward the process,” he said referring to the confidence-building measures recently announced by Pakistan and India.

During the hour-long programme, a number of listeners from around the world asked the president questions on a host of international, regional and domestic subjects.

President Musharraf dismissed allegations of infiltration into occupied Kashmir, and said the ongoing freedom struggle in Kashmir was absolutely indigenous.

He said the Indian officials alleged that Pakistan infiltrated people under the cover of firing in the past and questioned now that an effective ceasefire was in place, how was the so-called cross-LoC movement possible?

The president dwelt on a four-step approach he had offered for the resolution of the Kashmir issue: first, Pakistan and India should start a dialogue; second they should go for a composite approach for the resolution of issues, including the Kashmir dispute; third they eliminate whatever is unacceptable to Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris and lastly go for a solution to the Kashmir dispute, acceptable to all three parties — Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people.

President Musharraf told a questioner that the National Assembly would be taken into confidence about any decision on Kashmir as the house represented the people. “We will take along the people of Pakistan,” he said.

In reply to a question, the president expressed the hope that the forthcoming Saarc summit in Islamabad would offer an opportunity to Saarc leaders to hold talks.

Responding to another question, the president said he would meet the Indian prime minister if he so desired.

The president told a professor from occupied Kashmir that Pakistan had responded positively to the Indian proposal to start a bus service from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad in order to minimize travel restrictions on Kashmiris and said Islamabad wanted that sufferings of the Kashmiri people came to an end through resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

President Musharraf said it would be unrealistic to think that Pakistan would abandon the Kashmir issue and talk of other issues.—APP

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