Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said that the country’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence trains terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. He also claimed that intelligence organisations on both sides “were involved”. He maintained that it was not Pakistan's army that was providing the militants with guidance and training.
The former military ruler claimed that Kashmir was still at the centre of the problems between the two nations, saying that the terror attacks would stop when New Delhi resolves the Kashmir issue. Musharraf said Kashmir still inflames people in Pakistan and anyone fighting there is a "freedom fighter", PTI reported.
When asked to comment on the postponement of foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries, Musharraf said that India was bulldozing and bullying Pakistan by only talking about terror attacks in Mumbai and Pathankot. Instead, he said, the core issue of Kashmir needs to be addressed.
Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan, which appeared to be thawing last year, have taken a hit since the Pathankot attacks in January. Foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries, which were scheduled for last month have repeatedly been postpone. Investigations into the attacks have also been strained, with the two countries unable to come to a consensus on their conclusions.
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