Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf said in a much-anticipated address to the nation today that Pakistan would never change its policy towards the disputed Kashmir and warned India that any attempt to cross its border would be met with "full force".
He added, however, that all Pakistanis were sick of sectarian violence and banned two Kashmiri militant groups blamed by India for the December 13th attack on its parliament.
"Kashmir runs in our blood," he said. "We will never budge an inch from our principled stand on Kashmir."
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Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf
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But, he said the problem needs to solved by peaceful means. "No organisation will be allowed to indulge in terorism in the name of Kashmir," he said.
Pakistani people should not infiltrate into other countries, he warned. "We have absolutely no need to infiltrate into other countries and sort their problems out."
He banned the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba groups, accused by India of the attack on its parliament in New Delhi.
The president also banned the radical Sunni Sipah-i-Sahaba and its rival, the Shi'ite Tehrik-i-Jafria. The two groups have been blamed for a wave of sectarian bombings and shootings across Pakistan.
"Sectarian terrorism has been going on for years, everyone of us if fed up of it," General Musharaff said. "We must rid society of sectarian hatred and terrorism."
However, he insisted Pakistan would not hand over any of its citizens included in a list of 20 alleged terrorists wanted by India.
"The question to hand over any Pakistani does not arise. We will never do it," he said.
Lashkar-e-Taiba immediately vowed to continue its "holy war" in Kashmir despite the ban.
AFP