Caution, the buzzword in Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, MAY 25. The much-awaited invitation from New Delhi was delivered to Pakistan's military establishment today, even as the Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, was being bombarded with advice from all sides - almost as if the package came marked `Caution, handle with care'.

Everyone who is anyone in the militant, religious, political or media circles has some counsel for the Chief Executive. The overwhelming view is that he must tread carefully. Otherwise, he could go the Nawaz Sharif way. There have been complaints galore. Some have taken exception to the unilateral announcement of the acceptance of the offer without taking the `nation' into confidence.

While the militant groups denounced it as yet another gimmick and advised him to reject it outright, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is sulking. Perhaps it has good reason after the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, dashed hopes of a tripartite dialogue by suggesting that the idea did not emanate from Islamabad.

APHC leaders of the Pakistan chapter, Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Safi and Prof. Ashraf Sarraf, are feeling left out. They have urged the Government to take the Kashmiri leadership into confidence on the Indian invite and urge New Delhi to allow participation of the Kashmiri leadership in the talks.

The duo is of the view that by offering talks only to Pakistan, India is trying to create a rift between Kashmiris and Pakistan. He was quoted in the Urdu papers as saying that the Hurriyat had foiled the ``Indian conspiracy'' by refusing talks without participation of Pakistan and the military Government should reciprocate the gesture. Mainstream parties have welcomed New Delhi's invitation but with the condition that the military Government take them into confidence. The acting president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Mr. Javed Hashmi, has asserted that before holding talks, Gen. Musharraf would have to take all parties into confidence. His contention is that the nation would not accept any individual decision in this regard.

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Section  : International
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