Former Pakistan president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has said those fighting in Indian Kashmir were 'mujahideen' and 'freedom fighters' and not terrorists, media reported on Tuesday.“Considering the atrocities and the treatment meted out to the Muslim majority in Indian Held Kashmir, several groups such as Lashkar-i-Taiba and Jaish-i-Muhammad emerged. They were ready to lay down their lives for their Kashmiri brethren, we call them freedom fighters, not Taliban or terrorist,” Musharraf told BBC.The former army chief also claimed that there was no 'Taliban presence' in Kashmir.Musharraf elaborated that the ‘Kashmiri mujahideen’ allied with the Taliban after the 9/11 tragedy.The former army chief also stated that he had warned the Kashmiri 'freedom fighters' about what he called an alliance with the ‘extremists’, but they joined hands with Taliban which led to the ‘mess’.Elaborating on his government’s stance and development towards resolving the Kashmir issue with India, Musharraf claimed he and the Indian head of state at that time Atal Bihari Vajpayee were heading towards a workable solution. The former president said that he and Vajpayee had similar views over Kashmir as they both were in agreement over ending the bloodshed in the scenic valley."Now Modi does not share the same view, he wants to intimidate Pakistan and put Pakistan on the back foot; things cannot go forward if he does not change his stance," said Musharraf. (CNS)