Put international pressure on Pak after Musharraf remarks, BJP tells govt

The BJP today asked the government to factor the admission of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf about his country's involvement in cross-border terrorism while framing its policy towards the neighbour and put international pressure on Islamabad to end the proxy war.

"Confession of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is vindication of India's position and consistent with BJP stand that terrorism in India is basically cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

"Just as our analysis on Ayodhya was vindicated by the court, our analysis on Pakistan's proxy war against India has been proved now," he added.

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has admitted that Pakistan had trained underground militant groups to fight in Kashmir, the first such admission by a top leader of the country.

Musharraf's candid remarks came days after he announced his return to active politics from London where he has been living in self-imposed exile.

Javadekar said though the Pakistan government has denied the claims of Musharraf, the "cat is out of the bag. The denial is a formality while the confession is the reality".

The principal Opposition alleged that Pakistan has sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and was also behind the recent law and order problems in the Valley, including stone-pelting.

"BJP demands that the government should factor in these revelations (of Musharraf) while formulating its Pakistan policy," Javadekar said.

He insisted that one day the involvement of Pakistan in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and funding of separatists and stone-pelters would come out. "This is just the skeletons coming out of the cupboard," he said.

The Rajya Sabha MP charged that after the formation of Bangladesh, Pakistan cannot digest the fact that Kashmir is with India.

"Government must utilise these revelations to expose Pakistan and its dubious role in waging a covert war through state-sponsored terrorism directed at India. Pakistan government's oft-repeated alibi of blaming non-state actors to hide its own direct complicity also needs to be exposed at international forums," Javadekar said.