Pakistan's 100-year-old Khan Shah Afridi, one of the Kabalis (tribesmen) who invaded Kashmir in 1947, now favours a resolution of the issue through Indo-Pak talks.

Afridi, who took up arms 56 years ago believing Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan, believes 'both sides are suffering huge losses because of the continued tension and disturbances in the Valley'.

"It will be better for India and Pakistan to get over with this problem once and for all. And I wish it happens in my lifetime," he told BBC in an interview.

He is probably the only surviving tribesman from the semi- autonomous tribal area who, on the call of their spiritual leader Pir of Maniki Sharif, led a group of men to fight in Kashmir.

"The Pir of Maniki Sharif told us we would have to fight. We were told that it was a war between Muslims and infidels and that we would get Kashmir freed. My duty was to organise the men and encourage them to fight," he said.

The tribesman is strikingly tall but now his legs are paralysed. He relies heavily on his family's support and his whole life is restricted to a small room in a mud house in the village of Mattni, 40 km south of Peshawar.

Afridi vividly recalls the march past into Baramulla, where the tribesmen spent a night before proceeding towards Srinagar.

"People remain well armed in the region. On the way we fired at whoever came in our way. I don't remember how many we killed, but they were quite a few," he recalled while one of his sons fanned him in the oppressive heat.

Afridi said he had no support from anyone and went to fight on his own. "I took my own shotgun and bullets. No one not even the Pakistan government helped us.

"I used to tell the fighters after an attack that you have come here to fight, not to run away as chickens. You will not run away."

Asked how many joined him for the journey to Kashmir, he said there were a lot. "There were Mohmand tribesmen and we Afridis. Everyone carried his own gun.

"I don't remember how many we killed, but they were quite a few. Many got killed in the fighting. Some were lucky enough to make it home."

He admitted that the invading tribesmen had indulged in looting, but denied that they raped women.

"They were mainly people from Azakhel who looted. We did not put our hands on women. We did not put our hands on wrong things."

Afridi claimed that the local Kashmiri population was very cordial to them. "They would give us bread, milk and other things that they could spare. They were happy to see us."

Asked whether he remembered the massacre of Christians in a convent in Baramulla, he said: "Our leader Suhbat Khan was not a good man. He used to put hands on such people."

Afridi said, their success was short-lived. The Indian Army was quick to respond, attacking the fighters with aeroplanes and artillery, he added.

"We all were forced to take shelter in the fields. They inflicted heavy human losses on us and we were disgraced. A large number of our men died."

UNI