Islamabad: Striking a jarring note in the midst of bonhomie generated by Indo-Pak peace process as well as the ongoing cricket series, President Pervez Musharraf delivered a blunt message that he would not be a "party" to the peace process with India if there was no forward movement on Kashmir issue.

"If we do not move forward, I am not in the process. They know that. I told everyone absolutely unambiguously that if you think that I am here to sell Kashmir, you are talking to the wrong man," he said told an interactive session with media personnel and intellectuals telecast tonight by State-owned PTV while refuting allegations of a sell-out on Kashmir.

Pakistan Foreign office promptly sought to set at rest media reports today (Mar 31, 2004) that Musharraf had set a deadline for the composite dialogue with India beginning in July-August this year to find a solution to Kashmir issue.

"We have to move forward on Kashmir. We have to resolve it. Otherwise I am not responsible, I said that. I think everyone is clear, including the Indian leadership. Now more than that I have done my duty. Let us see what happens. Let us pray to God," he said.

Replying to a question about India's response to Pakistan's peace overtures and its sincerity towards addressing the Kashmir issue, Musharraf said that he has an apprehension that Kashmir issue would be sidelined in future and made it clear to the international community and the Indian leadership that for the peace process to be successful, the two countries must address the issue.

Answering a question, he said nothing went wrong after his January 6 meeting with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.

The Foreign Secretaries and Foreign Ministers are set to meet in July-August after the general elections in India. "Three and four months are left. This time, I am confident that dialogue would move forward but the suspicions remains. But I have no apprehensions. July-August talks will show where things stand," he said.

Insisting that the confidence building measures and dialogue process between India and Pakistan should move ahead in tandem to resolve Kashmir and six other issues including differences over Siachen, he said Pakistan believes in meaningful and result-oriented talks on Kashmir issue and that addressing the issue is imperative for any realistic forward movement in the relations between the two countries.

"I am confident that things will move forward when the two countries go into the next round of talks (after Indian elections)," he said.

Musharraf rejected the Indian charge of cross-border terrorism and reiterated that militancy in Kashmir was a "freedom struggle" and Pakistan would not hesitate to provide moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris.