Pak military would not change its India centric policy: former ISI chief

A former ISI chief credited with helping in creation of Afghan Taliban, has said his country's army would not change its India-centric policy, unless the Kashmir issue is resolved.

"The kind of terrorism which is going on in Pakistan is due to Kashmir issue," Hamid Gul, the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) who is also believed to have created Kashmiri militants groups claimed in the CNN's "Connect the World" programme.

Gul was responding to the question as to why Pak military remains India centric.

"The second (reason) is because of the wrongful occupation of Afghanistan, by the allied forces, it's very wrongful," he argued.

"So I think that proud nation is being really ravaged which is very wrong. So, this is the root cause – unless you address the root cause, you are not going to find the solution, as far as Pakistan's orientation towards India is concerned that is a reality, and Indians themselves are making it a reality," Gul claimed.

"This is amazing that India continues to aim at Pakistan and considers it the enemy – Kashmir dispute is still going on; Kashmir movement is very much on the boil, and at this time it is expected that Pakistan should shift forces from the Eastern border and transfer them to the Western border – it is not possible, we don't have the resources," he said.

  The former ISI chief told the CNN that the Soviet occupation was wrong, and so is the American occupation.

"And that Afghan nation will not accept that position, Afghan nation has never accepted for past 5000 years, they won't accept it now. So I don't regret it at all, because at that time the whole world was with us.

"I think then America should be the first to regret that adventure at that time," he argued.

Gul argued that there can be no peace in Afghanistan without Mullah Omar.

"I think Mullah Omar has to be spoken to – that's very important – because without him no settlement in Afghanistan can take place. He symbolises the national resistance of Afghanistan against the occupation," he said.

Noting that the US for its operations in Afghanistan is depended on a long line of communication, the logistic support is coming through Pakistan.

"And Pakistan is being destabilised by India – their ally. This is one problem, and you know now the floods have cut off the lines of communication. Karachi rioting is creating another problem, so you cannot depend on this logistical tail.

 And the second is the intelligence input. If Wikileaks is any reflection of the kind of intelligence input that the American forces are getting, then I can already conclude what would be the outcome," he said.

The leaks by the website whistleblower Wikileaks had pointed out that ISI continued to have links with Taliban and other militant groups fighting US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.