Lahore: India is in a mood to talk and settle issues relating to Kashmir, but the twists given to it by Pakistani intelligentsia was preventing an amicable solution, says noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

In an interview with the 'Daily Times', Jethmalani, who is the chairman of the Indian Kashmir Committee, accused Pakistani intellectuals of misinterpreting Islam and the 1972 Simla Agreement to suit their own agenda on Kashmir.

Jethmalani said a solution to the Kashmir dispute would be found if both sides came to the negotiating table.

"Now, fortunately, India is in a mood to talk and there is an element of goodwill. I have told General Musharraf that with goodwill, the core problem will be resolved," he said.

"The Kashmir committee feels that it is possible to resolve the issue and the probability is the highest at this time. If we allow this moment to slip by, nothing would happen. Of course, we have no mandate from the government. We do not represent the government," he added.

"I don't believe that India has held fair elections (in Kashmir) after 1987. If there is no freedom and democracy, the so-called freedom fighter becomes a terrorist.

"We wanted to put an end to the freedom fighters' excuse by holding elections in Kashmir. The Election Commission and the government deserve praise for free elections.

"Terrorists did not want to participate in elections and killed so many candidates, particularly the National Conference guys. They did not want that India should claim that the elections were fair," he said.

"We have been trying to convince the Hurriyat to participate in elections but have failed in all our endeavours," he remarked.

Jethmalani said he had told the Hurriyat that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) had a chance to test their electoral power and General Musharraf's belief that they represented the people of Kashmir. But they did not agree.

"An opportunity was lost. The international community agreed the elections were largely fair," he observed.

He said the Kashmir committee had settled a lot of things with the Hurriyat in writing and presented them to press. "At least five principles have been agreed to. These include non-violence in the valley; a peaceful solution on the basis of give and take, return of displaced Kashmiri pundits and the future of pluralist democracy."

He said Pakistan's stance was that Kashmir was a Muslim majority state, and Pakistan was formed to incorporate Muslim majority areas, therefore Kashmir should be part of Pakistan. "Frankly, the Two- Nation Theory is a product of misinterpretation," Jethmalani said.

He said the Holy Quran used the word 'harb' in a spiritual sense. According to him, it was not related to modern politics. He added that it was like the concept of 'jihad', which was also misunderstood. "The bigger 'jihad' is the internal 'jihad', but they forgot the major 'jihad' and indulged in the minor 'jihad'," he remarked.

ANI