Musharraf’s U-turn: Terrorists not trained during my rule

LONDON - Days after candidly admitting that Pakistan trained underground militant groups to fight against India, former President Pervez Musharraf has said that militant groups who entered Jammu and Kashmir were not trained during his rule.

Musharraf refuted that the Pakistani security establishment was involved in sending mujahideen to the other side of the Line of Control, The News reported.

“Those who entered Jammu and Kashmir were not trained during my rule,” he said to a TV channel, adding that the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa enjoyed popular support in Pakistan.

It was an uphill task to deal with the JuD, he declared, adding that groups like LeT had grown up before his era.

Talking about the peace talks involving the Kashmir issue, the former general said the current peace process was headed nowhere, and in fact the ground situation had “gone out of control.”

“It is headed nowhere. Neither party is giving or getting anything. Pakistan has not done anything creative under the PPP rule. There is no progress as far as key issues like Kashmir is concerned. In fact, situation on the ground has gone out of control even when the peace talks are on. What kind of peace talks is this?” he questioned.

Recalling his initiatives with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to resolve the Kashmir issue, Musharraf said Pakistan sought good relations with India.

“We want good relations with India, but it has to be based on justice and fairness. (Occupied) Kashmir is the primary problem and the improvement in bilateral relations between the two countries depends on the resolution of the Kashmir issue,” the APML founder said.

“We want to maintain the pace and hope for an early settlement of all disputes which could turn a new page of peace, understanding and cooperation in South Asia,” he added. (ANI)