The Hindu : J&K elections farcical: Musharraf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 15, 2002

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J&K elections farcical: Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Aug.14. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today upped the ante on Kashmir by describing the scheduled elections in Jammu and Kashmir in September/October as "farcical" and said there could never be peace in South Asia without resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Islamabad's perspective on the J&K elections was the dominant theme of his speech at the function to mark the 55th Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan. In a reflection of the prevailing security environment in the country in the aftermath of the September 11 incidents, the function was a scaled down event as Gen. Musharraf chose to hoist the national flag inside the highly- guarded Convention Centre in the presence of a select gathering of diplomats and senior Government functionaries.

The challenge posed by the religious and sectarian fundamentalist groups from within and outside the country, as was evident in the series of terror strikes in Pakistan in the last few months, and a promise to hold "free and fair" general elections in the country in October were the other major themes in his long televised speech.

Gen. Musharraf's sharp remarks on the J&K elections is a clear rejection by Islamabad of the international community's view that the polls could prove to be the first step towards resolution of the contentious issue. He said Pakistan would not be held responsible for the failure of the polls in the valley as the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of 23 parties, has decided to boycott them. His observations in this context have to be viewed against the subtle and not so subtle suggestions from the Anglo-American interlocutors in recent weeks on the need for Pakistan to ensure ``violence free'' polls in the valley.

He reiterated his threat to take the battle into the Indian territory if attacked. He said that India should stop its provocative rhetoric and war hysteria. "It is time to give peace a chance,'' he said.

``Pakistan supports the principle struggle of the people of Kashmir for the right of self-determination, since long promised to them by the international community. This struggle of our Kashmiri brothers is a sacred trust with us, which can never be compromised. The announcement by India to hold elections in J&K is yet another effort to give a mask for India's illegal occupation of J&K. Pakistan position on this issue is based on the U.N. Security Council resolutions. Elections cannot be a substitute to free and impartial plebiscite under the U.N. auspices,'' Gen. Musharraf said.

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