India suffered more deaths in Kargil than Pak: Musharraf

In a rare reference to Kargil, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has disputed deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief's account that more Pakistani soldiers were killed during the conflict than the previous two wars against India

He claimed New Delhi suffered more casualties than Islamabad.

"It hurts me when former premier undermines his own forces," Musharraf said, while responding to Sharief's comments made in an interview to an Indian weekly that Pakistan lost more soldiers in Kargil conflict than the 1965 and the 1971 wars put together.

Also Read Special: This soldier died for us Complete coverage of Kargil crisis

Answering questions on his recent meeting with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, Musharraf said he had not discussed any timeframe to resolve the Kashmir issue but at the same time asserted that both countries cannot move forward on the confidence building measures (CBMs) without progress on Kashmir.

Replying to questions relating to his meeting with Singh on July 23, Musharraf said he had not asked for any timeframe for a solution of Kashmir issue with India but had only called for a fast pace.

"I have not asked them to give any timeframe. But what I would like to say is that we should move as fast as possible because if we don't then we cannot have confidence-building measures (CBMs). We need to move on CBMs and the dialogue process in tandem with each other. This is what it is," he told the daily.

To a question on how long the dialogue process could take, Musharraf said he has no idea. "No I don't have any idea frankly, but I would not see that we should take years...", he said.

Asked if it could take three years, he said, "I don't know. It should be resolved much before three years."

He also referred to the ongoing trial of Indian military officials for reporting "fictional" encounters in Siachin to win awards. "Now such people were facing inquiries and court martial there," he said.