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Coercive diplomacy will not work: Musharraf

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Hopeful of an acceptable settlement on J&K

ISLAMABAD: : Pakistan will set up oil refineries at Gwadar and provide cost-effective fuel.

The Gwadar deep-sea port, developed with Chinese assistance, is being marketed as a regional corridor to Central Asian states and western regions of China. The first phase of the project has been completed.

Announcing the decision to set up the refineries, President Pervez Musharraf told senior civil servants at Rawalpindi on Thursday that his Government was also striving to develop gas, coal, water and alternate energy sources to minimise dependence on oil import.

"We have strategised our energy requirements for the next 15 years as this will be the lifeline for a vibrant economy," he said, addressing participants of a management course at the National School of Public Policy.

On India-Pakistan peace process, Gen. Musharraf said Islamabad was engaged in dialogue for settlement of all disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir and expressed the hope that with "flexibility, sincerity and boldness" the two sides would be able to take the peace process to its logical conclusion.

"Now there is a realisation that coercive diplomacy can no longer work and I am hopeful that a solution acceptable to Pakistan, India and the people of Jammu and Kashmir can be achieved," he said.

On extremism, he said, Pakistan would address the problem through a long-term prudent approach while it would continue to deal with terrorism through force.

Gen. Musharraf said that Pakistan has reduced its dependence on oil for power generation from 70 per cent to 59 per cent through greater usage of gas and intended to bring it down to 30 per cent.

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