Imran Khan On What Mr Vajpayee Told Him About Kashmir (file image)

New Delhi: On Monday, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, recalled his discussion with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee about the Kashmir issue. The Pakistani PM said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had told him that Kashmir would have been resolved if the BJP had not lost the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. He also added that the former external affairs minister Natwar Singh was also present at that meeting.

"It shows that there is a solution of Kashmir and both countries were close to resolve it,"the cricketer turned politician said.  Mr Khan, elaborated on the subject and said that war is not a solution to the Kashmir issue, and that it can be resolved only through talks.

Mr Khan gave an interview to a group of television journalists in Islamabad and said that unless there was a dialogue, various options on resolution of Kashmir cannot be discussed.

The Pakistani PM was questioned about the "options" to resolve the Kashmir issue, to which he replied that there were two or three solutions, which have been in discussions. However, he refused to share more details, saying it was "too early to talk about them".

He ruled out the possibility of any war with India and said that the two nuclear armed countries would not fight because "there are always unintended consequences".

While, asserting that Pakistan was serious to develop peaceful ties with all its neighbours, he claimed that India was not ready to hold talks with the country due to the upcoming general elections.

Replying to a query on his views on the military's role in shaping of foreign policy in every country, including the US, he said, "Advice from the establishment is taken in those issues where security situation is involved."

Imran Khan said the Pakistan Army and his government "are on the same page" and his decisions are "backed" by the military.