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K J M Varma in Islamabad
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday night described as 'terrorist act' the killing of civilians in bomb blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and asked Pakistani extremists not to get involved in foreign countries.
"A bomb blast in which 25 to 30 people including 15 to 20 civilians get killed is a terrorist act whether it is in Kashmir or anywhere else," Musharraf said in an interview to PTV.
Musharraf had earlier described the October one attack on Jammu and Kashmir assembly as a terrorist act.
He, however, said the ban on terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed by the US did not indicate that Washington disagreed with Pakistan's description of militancy in Kashmir as 'freedom struggle'.
"It is a misperception. Even my joint statement with President George Bush in Washington had called for a solution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of people of J&K. They very much understand that there is a freedom struggle there," Musharraf said.
The problem with outfits like LeT and JeM was that they got involved in Afghanistan and got identified 'with that brand of terrorism', he said.
"The Pakistani extremists should learn a lesson from the Afghan experience. Pakistan is as much concerned about Islam as they are. They should stay here and strengthen Pakistan. There is no need for them to go out and fight," he said.
Musharraf said his government wanted to take action against 'minority extremists' in Pakistan.
Taking a dig at India Musharraf said there was 'a split' in the Indian polity over Kashmir and asked India to modify its stand over the issue in order to reach a negotiated settlement.
He said there were irreconcilable differences between the two countries on Kashmir issue.
Referring to Indian leaders' view that Kashmir is at the core of Indian nationhood, he said, "It is an extremist view. Indian leaders have to modify their stand. Kashmir is recognised as a dispute by US and all over world."
Musahrraf did not lose the opportunity to warn that if India indulged in adventurism, 'we will teach them a lesson'.
Stating that Kashmir is the core issue between India and Pakistan, Musharraf denied he has an unifocal approach as articulated by India.
"This is absolutely nonsense," he said.
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