Islamabad: Pakistan would continue "diplomatic efforts" to solve the Kashmir issue through peaceful means, but would at the same time, expedite its nuclear and missile programmes for "invincible defence", President Pervez Musharraf has said.

Addressing a grand representative tribal gathering at Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) on April 10, he said, "We cannot leave this (Kashmir) issue because honourable nations do not leave their principle stand."

Pakistan would continue its efforts to solve the Kashmir issue through peaceful means and safeguard its sovereignty and strategic assets, he said.

Asserting that the country's nuclear weapons guaranteed its security, Musharraf said, "Our nuclear capability is a guarantee of our sovereignty, which can never be ended, but instead it would be given impetus for development purposes. We have defended our nuclear, missile power and Kashmir cause because it is in our national interest," he was quoted as saying by the official media.

Musharraf's comments appear to be a response to recent statements by Indian leaders that New Delhi soon planned to test fire long-distance Agni- III missile in addition to operationalisation of supersonic BRAHMOS missiles.

The military ruler claimed Pakistan had faced internal and external threats during the last three years, but "we have faced these challenges with courage and determination and now Pakistan has a respectable place among the comity of nations".

Musharraf also sought the co-operation of people of NWFP, which borders Afghanistan to apprehend al-Qaida militants reportedly holed up there.

PTI