India, Pak should lessen tensions: Bhutto

DUBAI, Dec 7 (UNI) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said India and Pakistan should try to avoid war and lessen tensions to ensure the resumption of bilateral trade ties.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson, in an interview to Dubai-based journalists, said, "my partys position on Kashmir is now a long-standing one.

We want Pakistan and India to resume trade, have porous borders on the line of control to give Kashmiris a chance to mix and then work together for a solution to the Kashmir issue without prejudice to the UN resolutions on Kashmir." "If there is no solution to Kashmir in sight, the two countries should try to avoid war and lessen tensions so that bilateral trade is resumed," Ms Bhutto further said.

She said in 1988, she got ready two draft pacts on redeployment in Kargil and mutual troops reduction there while signing several other agreements with former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Expressing fears that non-Kashmiris might hijack the "freedom movement" in the Valley, she said she had been warning about the presence of non-Kashmiris in the Valley since 1988.

"We distinguish between Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri fighters, and at the moment, there is every reason to believe that the non-Kashmiris can hijack the freedom movement going on in Kashmir.

It is good that they noticed this time what I said in India," said the former Prime Minister, who lives in self-exile after being convicted by the special accountability court, set by Pakistans military government, on charges of corruption.

Ms Bhutto said the military regime in Pakistan should facilitate the return of democracy and act as a factor for stability.

"General Musharraf became President just because the constitution was suspended at the moment.

But after the election, we (the PPP) could consider his wish to stay on as President." Ms Bhutto said.

"This is a moment of truth for Pakistan.

We (politicians) are big enough to admit our mistakes but would the Generals do the same," she asked.

The PPP had submitted a 12-point agenda to the military government, which included an end to political persecution.