Islamabad:The Kashmir issue would have been resolved by now had not then Pakistan army chief Pervez Musharraf ousted Nawaz Sharif in 1999, a minister said in remarks published on Sunday.

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid blamed Musharraf for harming the Jammu and Kashmir cause the most, the Dawn reported.

Speaking two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Russia, Rashid said everyone knew that Kashmir was "the real and major issue" between New Delhi and Islamabad.

He said the Kashmir issue would have been resolved by now and Pakistan would not be facing energy crisis and terrorism today if Musharraf had not overturned Sharif's government in 1999.

After ousting Sharif, Musharraf became the president until he stepped down in 2008.

(IANS)