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NEW DELHI, Sunday (AFP) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Sunday he was willing to join hands with rival India to fight extremism, but warned he would lose power if he compromised too much over Kashmir.

"If someone says in a positive manner that we want to solve it, then we are together on this issue of controlling every extremist," Musharraf told the Indian Hindi-language news channel Aaj Tak in an interview broadcast Sunday.

But he added that India and Pakistan should resume talks to "set the strategic direction" in the fight against extremism.

"Then we will solve this problem and all problems," he said.

In the interview, Musharraf warned that no Pakistani leader could survive if he brushed aside the half-century Kashmir dispute and began mending relations with India in other areas such as trade.

"You need to understand the pulse of Pakistan. No Pakistani leader can come into politics and survive if they start doing all kinds of things with India - talking trade, commerce, economy with India. He will be kicked out," Musharraf said.

"Let us understand the ground reality and let us start talks. Let us start talks on all issues including Kashmir."

Musharraf defended the role of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligene (ISI) agency, which New Delhi repeatedly charges has supported anti-Indian extremists.

"You also have an intelligence agency," Musharraf said of India. "Don't think it's pure and absolutely above reproach."

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