Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday dismissed planned elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir beginning next month as a farce which denied the people of the disputed region a real choice. He also said Pakistan could not be blamed for the separatist violence that has wracked the Indian sector of the Himalayan region since an insurgency began in late 1989.
"The announcement by India to hold elections in Indian-occupied Kashmir is yet another effort to give a mask of legitimacy to India's illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir," the military leader said.

"The government of India has organized such farcical elections in the past as well. These so-called elections have invariably been rigged and have always been boycotted by the Kashmiri people."

Kashmir lies at the heart of tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. They came to the brink of war in May after India blamed attacks on its soil on Pakistan-based militants who crossed their common border.

The crisis has eased, but around one million troops continue to line the border, and dialogue on resolving the issue appears some way off.

Musharraf, making his address in English during Independence Day celebrations, was defiant.

"Pakistan cannot accept any responsibility for developments inside Indian-occupied Kashmir, nor can India try to shift the onus of the failure of elections to Pakistan," he said.

"No one dare think of any adventurism across our borders," he added.

"My dear countrymen, your armed forces are standing guard on the country's borders.

"Let life and business continue as usual with the confidence that your valiant forces have the Jazba-e-Eman (spirit of faith) not only to defend every inch of the motherland but to carry the fight across the border, Inshallah (God willing)."

PHOTO CAPTION

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday dismissed planned elections in Indian Kashmir beginning next month as a farce which denied the people of the disputed region a real choice. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore
- Aug 13 11:45 PM ET