Islamabad, Pakistan – President Pervez Musharraf said Tuesday that Pakistan is willing to give up its claim to Kashmir if India reciprocates and agrees to self-governance in the disputed Himalayan region that they have fought over for decades.
The comments, in an interview aired by India’s NDTV network, were among Musharraf’s strongest yet to encourage a settlement in the bitter, 58-year dispute since the South Asian rivals began peace talks.
There was no immediate reaction from India’s government, and Musharraf’s spokesman accused NDTV of “twisting” the president’s comments to suggest that Pakistan was making a unilateral offer to give up its claim to Kashmir.
The Islamic state of Pakistan and majority-Hindu India control parts of Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region in the Himalayan mountains, which was divided between them during partition of the subcontinent on independence from Britain in 1947. They have since fought two of their three wars over it – the first in 1948.
In his interview, Musharraf was asked whether Pakistan was willing to give up its claim to Kashmir if India also agreed to self-governance in its part of the divided region. He replied, “Yes, we will have to if this solution comes up.”
In Islamabad, Musharraf’s spokesman stressed that such an offer was dependent on India’s altering its position that Kashmir is an integral part of India.
“The president at no point said that Pakistan is unilaterally ready to give up its stance on Kashmir,” Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said.
While the willingness to give up Pakistan’s claim to Kashmir appeared new, Musharraf was reiterating previous proposals, including troop withdrawals and greater autonomy for Kashmir, that have elicited little response from India.
“It’s more or less restating his previous position that ‘Let’s get talking about self-governance and demilitarization.’ But he’s showing more flexibility,” said Talat Masood, a former Pakistani general and political analyst.
Musharraf said that neither Pakistan nor India wanted full independence for Kashmir. He suggested greater autonomy under “joint management” by Pakistan, India and Kashmiris.
The peace process began in early 2004, easing tensions but failing to achieve a breakthrough to bury the threat of fresh conflict between the nuclear powers.
