By Arun Kumar

Washington, Aug 12 (IANS): A former Pakistani spymaster credited with helping create the Afghan Taliban says Pakistan's India focus would not change unless what he called the "root cause" of "Indian state terrorism in Kashmir" was addressed.

"It is for two reasons this kind of terrorism which is going on in Pakistan," Hamid Gul, former director of Pakistani spy agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), said on CNN 'Connect the World' programme when asked why the Pakistani military admittedly remains India-centric.

"One is the Kashmir movement, and the Indian state terrorism in Kashmir, and the second is because of the wrongful occupation of Afghanistan, by the allied forces," he said.

"It's very wrongful, no one was ever found to be involved in any act of terrorism outside the boundaries of Afghanistan," Gul said. "And 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," he said.

Asked if Islamabad had its priorities straight, Gul said: "No 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."

Asked if he regrets helping create the Afghan Taliban to fight off Soviet forces back in the 1980s, Gul said: "Not at all - I think the Soviet occupation was wrongful, and so was the American occupation."

Asserting that "Al Qaeda have nothing to do with the Afghan resistance - I don't call them Taliban", he said: "I don't support any one faction in Afghanistan - I support the Afghan nation - I respect them, I admire them, and I feel that they are some of the best people in the world."

The Taliban "have made lots of mistakes - but I hope that they have learnt their lesson," Gul said. "So 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."

Criticising the US performance in Afghanistan, Gul continued his tirade against India saying: "They are dependent on a long line of communication, the logistic support is coming through Pakistan, and Pakistan is being destabilised by India - their ally.