Musharraf has to yield to U.S. pressure

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. The Cabinet Committee on Security today reviewed the fast-changing security scenario in the region in the context of the American determination to make Afghanistan pay a price for harbouring Osama bin Laden. In particular, the Indian policy-makers have to assess and understand Islamabad's response to the American demand that Pakistan actively help in inflicting retribution on the terrorists. There was no official word on what, if any, decisions were taken at the meeting.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, presided. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, the three service chiefs, and other senior officials attended the meeting at the Prime Minister's residence.

The policy-makers here have watched with amusement the Pakistani military regime's elaborate delaying tactics in responding to the American demand for positive cooperation against the terrorist organisations. The stage-by-stage deliberations by various bureaucratic forums in Islamabad is seen here as Gen. Pervez Musharraf's way of buying time. As per the information available, the latest - and, perhaps the most decisive - round of consultation would take place between Gen. Musharraf and the jehadi groups, loosely grouped around the United Jehad Council.

This elaborate consultation process is meant to impress upon the U.S. the domestic difficulties the military regime would face in meeting the American demands. The Pakistani establishment can no longer pretend that it had no control or leverage over the Taliban or Osama, as the U.S. officials are believed to have confronted the visiting (and subsequently stranded) ISI Director- General, Lt. General Mahmood Ahmed, with clinching evidence of the ISI networking with Osama.

In particular, the assessment here is that the Taliban regime's threat against those who offer any assistance to the U.S., is essentially a Pakistani-invented tactic. As per the Indian understanding, the Taliban is in no position to threaten Pakistan or any other country; the threat is calibrated from Islamabad itself.

At least the Indian policy-makers are not impressed with these too-clever-by-half tactics. The assessment is that Gen. Musharraf has no choice but to give in to the American demand for cooperation against Osama. The nature of the Indian-American collaboration would depend largely on how New Delhi assesses and evaluates the Pakistani calculations. According to information available here, the Pakistani army officers working with the Taliban have already been withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, leaves for Moscow next week, in response to a long-standing invitation. However, it is believed that the post- New York attack situation would necessarily be discussed. On the other hand, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, has cancelled his proposed trip to France.

The All-Party Hurriyat Conference is believed to have written to the U.S. Ambassador, expressing ``solidarity with all the members of the bereaved families in letter and spirit.'' ``Spear-heading, as it does, the freedom movement in Jammu and Kashmir, (it) condemns terrorism in all its form and at all levels anywhere in the world and, therefore, resolves to join the American people body and soul together to deal with terrorism in accordance with the principle of justice.''

At the same time, the letter also said that the Hurriyat ``trusts that U.S. administration will precede with wisdom, foresightedness and responsibility as the world's only superpower.'' It notes that the Hurriyat has called upon the ``Kashmiris around America to organise blood donation camps and place whatever they can at the disposal of the authorities concerned in the U.S.''

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