Islamabad, February 5
Brushing aside international concerns on cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today accused India of “denigrating and maligning the freedom struggle” there to which he pledged his country’s continued “political, moral and diplomatic support.” He also offered talks to India.

“India has a sinister design to denigrate and malign the Kashmiri freedom movement. It is also trying to hoodwink international public opinion by playing on the aspirations of the Kashmiris,” General Musharraf said addressing the Assembly in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on the occasion of “Kashmir Day” observed in Pakistan.

He said, “I categorically assure our Kashmiri brothers that the people and the Government of Pakistan would honour their commitment and extend full political, diplomatic and moral support.”

In a hard-hitting speech during a joint session of the PoK Assembly in Muzaffarabad, General Musharraf asserted that if war was imposed on Pakistan “we will defend every inch of our soil with all means at our disposal. Let there be no underestimation of our resolve’’.