Musharraf's statement must be raised in bilateral, international forums: NCP

Expressing serious concern over former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's remark that Islamabad supported and trained groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 1990s to carry out militancy in Kashmir, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon on Wednesday said India must raise this issue at bilateral and international forums.

"Pervez Musharraf's statement needs to be verified. If it is found to have any substance then we must take it up very seriously. If Kashmiris have been trained or Pakistanis have been trained to be sent to India for terrorist activities then it is a matter of great concern. We should take it up not only bilaterally, but also internationally like in UN," Memon told ANI.

Memon further said that Musharraf's remark of comparing Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray with 26/11 terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed need not be given any importance as it is aimed at provoking India.

"This statement of Pervez Musharraf doesn't need to be given any importance. Who is Pervez today? He is the ex-president of the country and it is his individual view. We should not get unduly disturbed or provoked by statements coming from such people from Pakistan," he said.

During an interview to Duniya TV, Musharraf branded Jama'at-ud-Da'wah chief Hafiz Saeed and LeT leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi as Pakistani 'heroes' during their alleged freedom struggle in Kashmir.

Musharraf also branded Osama Bin Laden, Jalaluddin Haqqani, Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi as Pakistan's heroes during the 1980s.