Monday, October 2 2006 14:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Rejecting President Pervez Musharraf's claims on Kargil, Pakistan's former foreign minister Sartaj Aziz has said the conflict disrupted the Lahore peace process.

"I do not agree with Gen Musharraf's view in his book that it was Kargil which helped in bringing back the Kashmir issue into international focus, "said Aziz. =

"In fact, Kargil led to disruption of Lahore process initiated by (the then Prime Ministers) Nawaz Sharif and Atal Behari Vajpayee. The military takeover completely destroyed the process," he said.

Contradicting Gen Musharraf's claim that Sharif and his cabinet were fully aware of the happenings of Kargil since the beginning, Aziz said, "This statement of Gen Musharraf is not correct.

He has mentioned about the date of February 5, 1999. I was present in that meeting. Discussion was held regarding the road disruption along Neelum valley and the possibility of an alternate road. Kargil was not mentioned in this meeting.

"I would like to say some of the things said about Kargil in the book are not correct. I would agree with some of the things he has written about Kargil, but not all," Aziz told a BBC Hindi programme last night.

Aziz also contested Musharraf's claim that the political leadership of the country lost the gains made by Pakistan army during the Kargil conflict.

"I do not agree with Gen Musharraf.It was Nawaz Sharif, who during his visit to Washington, when the conflict was on, resolved the matter in a way which benefited both India and Pakistan," he said.