Advocating former President Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula on occupied Kashmir, former BJP MP and eminent lawyer, Ram Jethmalani on Saturday said the document should be the basis for a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue and that Musharraf's efforts were "frustrated" by India.
"Musharraf came to India with a firm and honest intention. His proposal is a fantastic solution to the Kashmir problem. It is a wonderful document which should be the basis for a permanent solution of Kashmir. I have no difficulty in confessing that his efforts were frustrated by India and not Pakistan," 92-year-old Jethmalani told reporters here.
Jethmalani, who is the chairman of India's Kashmir committee, also claimed he had made some changes to Musharraf's proposal and the purpose of the document was that there should be a secular democracy on both sides of Kashmir.
"I have been working for Kashmir for a long time and Musharraf knew. He sent his proposal to me through a common friend. I made some changes to the document as part of the proposals on behalf of the Kashmir Committee which Musharraf accepted. The whole purpose of the document is that there should be a secular democracy on both sides," he said.
The former union minister, who was expelled from the BJP earlier this year, said a formal body comprising of statesmen and recognised by both India and Pakistan should be there to see to it that people are not exploited by these governments. The head of the Kashmir Committee, constituted in 2002 to reach out to Mujahideen here, said he was in constant touch with the Mujahideen and not all of them were "Pakistan agents".
Talking about the killing of two youth by Indian army in Chattergam, Jethmalani said the army men involved in the incident on Monday should be dealt with according to law. He said army's presence in occupied Kashmir has to be "terminated as soon as the terror stops". But let the terror stop, I am sure army must go," he said. Asked about curbs on Kashmiri leaders ahead of the assembly elections, the noted legal luminary said, "I have told them (separatists) to create good evidence that they have been restrained and I will take the matter to the Supreme Court."
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