ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: President General Pervez Musharraf on Monday called for a national debate on ways to resolve the Kashmir dispute, with options to include independence or joint control of the Himalayan state.

Addressing an iftar reception hosted by Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed and attended by, among others, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the president proposed identifying the available regions, de-militarizing them and changing their status before looking for possible options to resolve the dispute.

He said the status quo in Kashmir was unacceptable and added that the Line of Control cannot be a solution to the lingering dispute.

As a starting point for a step-by-step approach on the option of demilitarization, Gen Musharraf said the regions on both sides of the Kashmir divide would need to be analyzed for local culture and demographic composition.

After identifying these regions, there could be gradual demilitarization following which the two sides could discuss whose control these areas should be under, he said.

He proposed that Pakistan and India could also have joint control of these areas or the United Nations could be asked to play a role. "It is just a proposal, a food for thought, on a way to finding a permanent solution," he said.

Gen Musharraf said progress was made when he met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York last month, and added that he was optimistic the dispute could be resolved.

"I strongly believe there are options and there is a solution," he said. "For the first time we see light at the end of the tunnel."

The president touched upon a host of issues Pakistan was facing internally and internationally and said a paramount responsibility devolved on the media to project these in their right perspective.

He appealed to the media to report the country's fight against extremism and terrorism in a proper light and expose perpetrators of the menace as criminals and not as heroes.

He noted improvement in the media in recent years, saying he was satisfied with their overall performance. Reiterating his commitment to freedom of the press, he said the government would continue to pursue this policy.

"I believe in freedom of the media, I am for total freedom of speech and expression and I assure you that we will continue with the policy of freedom of expression because this is the future for us."

Pakistan, the president said, had effectively countered some misperceptions it faced until the recent past and added that the international community had appreciated the country's policies.

He pointed out misperceptions on issues pertaining to acts of terrorism in Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation and the 'cross-border' infiltration, saying that now a marked 'change in the environment' had taken place.

"The world leaders, including the Indian leadership, accept that there is no infiltration and now the world is calling for a settlement of the Kashmir dispute," he said.

He said that Pakistan was a moderate and progressive Islamic country and not a pro-extremism society and regretted that unfortunately the country suffered from a negative projection.

"We are endeavouring to bring about a societal change and give voice to the vast moderate majority... here the media has to come out with a powerful role in casting off negative image of the country by encouraging the moderates and quelling the extremists."

Media, he emphasized, should project Pakistan as a moderate Islamic country where extremists existed only on the fringe.

"We are all practising Muslims, we should stop printing and distribution of material fanning sectarian feelings. We have to stop and curb militancy and extremism; we will make Pakistan a progressive moderate Islamic state."

On the uniform issue, the president said it should not be viewed as a personal matter but should be evaluated in the larger national context at a time when the country needed political stability and a firm democracy, when it was striving for a societal change to contain extremism and continue its march on the path to economic progress.

Referring to the country's growing water and energy requirements, he said Pakistan needed four large dams for a sustainable agricultural and industrial development.

He said the country would need all four reservoirs - the Kalabagh dam, Bhasha dam, Akoro dam and Skardu dams. "We have to take very serious decisions in this respect."

Sindh, he pointed out, would benefit the most from the construction of a large dam and the media should project these issues in proper light.

Gen Musharraf said that Pakistan would have to import gas to meet its energy requirements and added that the country would serve as a centre of trade between Central Asian States, the South Asia and the Gulf countries. He said Pakistan's vital national interests were in safe hands.

National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Deputy Speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob, ministers, chief ministers, diplomats and a large number of journalists attended the dinner.-Agencies