General says it: yes, religion no basis for Kashmir solution

In what could significantly—and pragmatically—push the peace process forward and alter the discourse on Kashmir, Pakistan Presiden...

In what could significantly—and pragmatically—push the peace process forward and alter the discourse on Kashmir, Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf said tonight that given India’s ‘‘sensitivities of its secular credentials,’’ a solution to the Kashmir issue cannot be on a religious basis. Instead, it could be on a ‘‘people’s basis, a regional basis.’’

Musharraf then gave ample indication that he would like to see the Kashmir problem resolved in two to four years. It was a ‘‘doable,’’ proposition, he said, which would identify a region in Jammu and Kashmir, demilitarize it, provide ‘‘maxiumum self-governance,’’ and make borders irrelevant.

Once again shaking open the discourse to new ways of approaching the problem, Musharraf identified markers, elaborating for the first time what he had implied in his meetings in New Delhi last month. ‘‘I have created quite a bit of confusion by what I have said,’’ he told the audience, ‘‘but what I have in my mind is not confused.’’

Story continues below this ad

Speaking at the valedictory function of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) conference on the creation of a South Asian Parliament, which was attended by over 100 MPs from four SAARC countries, he said that after his recent visit to Delhi, he was ‘‘optimistic’’ and ‘‘convinced’’ that there was solution which would be ‘‘acceptable to India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir.’’

After he finished speaking, Indian MPs vied with each other to shake hands with the General, some insisting on being photographed with him. It took Musharraf fifteen minutes to get out of the room where the function was held at a hotel here.

Speaking of ‘‘fleeting moments in history’’ which were not available all the time, he said that he and Manmohan Singh had complete understanding between them. Manmohan Singh had called both of them incidental leaders.

	Getting the Doctor on the same page

			• It (solution) must be during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and myself. • One does not know what is the future of these two (himself and Singh) incidental or accidental leaders. • Harmony that exists between us (himself and Singh), may be it continues with future leaders also. But why leave anything to doubt? • Kashmiris want to govern themselves, have a say in looking after their own future. So there are elements of self-governance involved which we must allow to the people of Kashmir.

‘‘Whether incidental or accidental…one doesn’t know what is the future of these two leaders. Since I believe this harmony exists between us two leaders, it (a solution) is better reached between us two. The time frame is flexible but it can’t be indefinite…I personally feel it must be done within the tenure and presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and myself.’’

Story continues below this ad

The first point Gen Musharraf made was that the region ‘‘we are talking about’’ had to be defined. The solution could not be on a territorial nor on a religious basis, he said. ‘‘It has to be on the people’s basis.’’

Having identified the region, he went on, it had to be demilitarized, and here the Pakistan President linked demilitarization and an end to excesses to the need to end terrorism and militancy. Another new formulation he made was to call for ‘‘maximum self-governance.’’

He said a solution has to be found from within India’s stand of no re-drawing of borders, Pakistan’s stand of LoC cannot be a permanent border and boundaries becoming irrelevant.

‘‘They are conflicting statements. The solution exactly lies somewhere in a compromise of the three. In fact, it lies in the third statement, that is boundaries becoming irrelevant. We need to find a via media (solution),” he said. ‘‘We need to find a via media where Kashmiris who may be demanding independence, even their concerns are addressed…Self governance must be allowed to the people of Kashmir.’’

Story continues below this ad

When a questioner said Musharraf had not spelt out the whole picture, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri who was sitting on the dais shot back, ‘‘Zaroorat se zyada bata diya.’’

Asked about the new CBMs he had in mind, Musharraf said, ‘‘When we initiate something, we must understand India’s difficulty and when they initiate something they must understand our difficulty.’’ Hinting at the problems he faced, the General said, ‘‘I have always been saying that the CBMs and conflict resolution go in tandem. But I am accused by people here of putting the dispute on the backburner. They think we are going strong on the CBMs but not doing enough on the conflict-resoluton side…I am hoping that when I meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next, some issues are ironed out in conflict resolution so that we can move on CBMs.’’

In view of the reports in the press here this week that he may remain President beyond 2007, a Pakistani reporter asked him if he planned to fight presidential elections and give up his uniformn in 2007.‘‘Please answer in a yes or no,’’ she said. Musharraf shot back, ‘‘Yes and no.’’