October 14, 2003
President General Pervez Musharraf has stated that New Delhi's stand that Kashmir is an integral part of India is not acceptable to Pakistan as Kashmir dispute is subject to UN Security Council resolutions. "If this is India's final verdict, it is not acceptable to Pakistan and we cannot go anywhere. Kashmir, like the Israel-Palestine dispute, is subject to the United Nations Security Council resolutions," he asserted in an interview to the Khaleej Times published on Monday. Continuing his reply to a question about a way forward in the face of Indian insistence on Kashmir, the President questioned "How can India deny this, India wants to become a member of the Security Council: how can a nation violating the Security Council regulations be a permanent member?"
The President told the paper that if New Delhi accepts Security Council resolutions, the two countries can resolve the Kashmir dispute through a dialogue. "If India accepts the Security Council resolutions and sits for a dialogue with Pakistan, we can arrive at a solution." He, however, emphasized that such a solution must be acceptable to both sides and the people of Kashmir as well. "We are doing our best to show much flexibility." In the interview, the President expressed views on a number of domestic and international issues and stated that Pakistan's economy has been revived with a consistent focus during the last four years.
Without economic turnaround, he said, the country can never be dynamic or progressive and nor can it be saved from poverty and illiteracy. "I think we have succeeded considerably, as before four years my aim was basically to revive and rectify the economy. Pakistan can never be dynamic or progressive, nor can our people be saved from poverty or illiteracy unless the economy is revived," he underlined. He recounted a host of positive indicators that have steered the country to a far better economic state than what it was in 1999. On investment, Musharraf said, it is one of the critical areas and the country must concentrate on this area to achieve economic progress. "In this domain, let me give you the encouraging figures: our investments increased by more than 60 per cent last year. We have evolved a strategy to attract foreign investments, as Pakistan is the ideal economic hub of the entire sub-continent. Compared to the miserable previous figures, our foreign investment jumped to US$780 million. However, this is not enough."
He referred to steps taken for attracting investment including improving the regulatory framework, rules and regulations to make it more business friendly, reducing the cost of doing business in Pakistan, ensuring good profitability for foreign businesses and improving law and order. In response to a question about Pakistan's policy towards Israel, he said Pakistan supports the Palestinian cause and if only the Middle East peace process moves forward in justice, the country can consider revising its policy in accordance with wishes of the Pakistani nation.
"We cannot do anything against the wishes of the people of Pakistan. We need to develop a consensus with the people of Pakistan. The issue is very contentious and there is no rush." The President said the Muslim nation is at the crossroads and must understand where it stands and this is what he intends to project at the OIC summit in Malaysia. He referred to the weak state of Muslims marked by widespread illiteracy and poverty. "We have the worst social sector indicators in the world. Thus, this is the reality that is the perception." He said the stance that needs to be stressed globally and regionally is that extremism in all forms should be rejected and also militancy should be rejected as a solution to the world problems or problems of the Muslims.
"We need to adopt the course of what I call 'enlightened moderation.' Let us be more educated, more literate. We need to remove poverty and raise the level of the nation. This is our strategy. "At the same time, we should demand of the West, that while we are adopting enlightened moderation, you should resolve political disputes in justice and also assist us in our social sector. Let's have a wider vision." In response to a question about political stability, the President said he is for the government completing its five year term. "My ambition is to set a record for a government running for a five-year term, then let there be election and new government.
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