Benzir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has called for an open borders policy with India, and said she would be willing to visit Indian-administered Kashmir herself as part of such a process.

She also said that in 1996, the Pakistani military tried to persuade her to authorise a Kargil-style operation in Kashmir, but she vetoed the proposal.

In an interview as part of a series, India: a people partitioned, Ms Bhutto said: "We do have a dispute over Kashmir, but we think the time has come to have open borders, open exchanges, to free our people.

"Maybe if we free our people, something better can be achieved than all the governments of the past," she said.

Ms Bhutto said this was not a policy she pursued when she was in power, which is something she regrets.

She said that the present situation in the disputed region of Kashmir was likely to persist for the short-term.

"But as the people-to-people contacts grow, as we begin to move freely, to travel freely, then I believe that a change will come.

"Now whether that change means that an Indian flag will be there, or a Pakistani, or a Kashmiri flag, I can't say.

"But I would like to see India and Pakistan open their borders between Kashmir," Ms Bhutto said.

Peace plan

The former prime minister said she was even willing to travel to Srinagar while it was still under the control of Delhi.

"I would like to go to Kashmir. I don't like the fact that it's ruled by Delhi. I know the people of Kashmir are unhappy, and have given untold sacrifices.

"But I would like to go tomorrow if I could," she said.

She said the legislative assemblies in both Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir could meet to monitor the Line of Control, which divides the two regions.

The assemblies could also decide if they wanted to remain separate or come together in one "supra-assembly".

"If we can put aside our prejudices, begin to open up, then we'll look at things differently, and ultimately everything is how you see it," she said.

Ms Bhutto also said that during her term as prime minister, her generals came to her with a proposal to conduct a Kargil-type operation in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"I was invited to a briefing at General Headquarters. And in front of about 50 or 60 officers, I was given a briefing with maps, screens, slides.

"And at the end of the briefing I vetoed it.

"I believe it was in the beginning of 1996," Ms Bhutto said.