Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, has accused India of raising war hysteria in the region by making provocative statements.

However, he told journalists in Karachi that there was no possibility of another war between the two countries.

Rhetoric between the two declared nuclear powers has sharpened following the recent hijacking of an Indian airliner to Afghanistan and increasing violence in the disputed region of Kashmir.

India's Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, was quoted on Sunday as saying that Delhi would go for a retaliatory nuclear strike if such weapons were used against India.

General Musharraf said such statements from New Delhi made it harder for the two countries to resume the process of dialogue.

"They are unnecessarily increasing tensions and hysteria," the general said.

"They then land themselves in a situation where talks become increasingly difficult," he added.

Responding to Mr Vajpayee's comments on the use of nuclear weapons, General Musharraf said it was nothing but sheer rhetoric.

Pakistan wanted to hold talks with India on the dispute over Kashmir, he said, but such statements by the Indian leaders made it extremely difficult.

Tense relations

Both countries have traded charges recently, accusing each other of carrying out terrorist attacks in their countries.

India accused Pakistan of masterminding the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft late last year, as well as being behind increased attacks on Indian security forces in Kashmir.

Pakistan has charged that Indian intelligence carried out a series of bombings across Pakistan over the past few weeks.

General Musharraf also said US President Bill Clinton should visit Pakistan during his visit to South Asia next month.

President Clinton will visit India and Bangladesh in mid-March, but the White House has yet to make a final decision on Pakistan, which had originally been on the itinerary before October's coup.

"He could contribute towards bringing peace and initiating a dialogue," said General Musharraf.

"If he does not come to us then this tension will not be reduced, rather it would increase."

On Saturday, General Musharraf said he backed Islamic militants fighting Indian forces in Kashmir.

He made the statement during a day of solidarity rallies in Pakistan, in support of Kashmiri separatists in their long-running campaign.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir. They came close to a fourth war last summer, during a 10-week stand-off between Pakistan-backed forces and Indian troops in the region.