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COVER STORY: INDO-PAK SUMMIT
ON A ROLL AT HOME
By making Kashmir the focus of the negotiations, a
confident Musharraf came back to his country a hero. But the empty-handed
return has give zealots reason to believe that only jehad will solve the
issue.
By Rory Mccarthy in Islamabad
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GIVE PEACE A CHANCE: Before Musharraf had left for Agra, people
had prayed for the success of the summit
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Pakistan's straight-talking
military dictator arrived in India in a flowing sherwani, confident he
would be the man to change the tide of history. Three days later, he slipped
away from Agra in the dark of the night, weary and empty-handed. Yet although
the Agra Summit ended without an agreement, Pervez Musharraf, the 58-year-old
former commando-turned-self-styled president, is on a roll. In the days
leading up to the summit, he neatly consolidated his hold on power in
Pakistan. Now he has proved to his audience at home and in western governments
that the architect of Kargil can discuss negotiations for a peaceful future
in Kashmir.
Last week as he boarded the aircraft for India,
Musharraf knew he had his own goals to achieve-whether or not a joint
declaration could be signed. On top of the list was his intention to raise
the profile of Kashmir as the focus of the talks. This was imperative
to satisfy Pakistan's vocal religious right, the Islamic officers in his
own army and the millions across the country who still fervently believe
in and help fund the cause of militants. Then he had to be seen sitting
down with the All Party Hurriyat Conference to show them his support as
well as to tell his Indian hosts that he would not be easily swayed from
his own agenda. And, of course, he had to shake off the image of the Kargil
general and present himself to the Indian people in a completely different
light. Observers in Pakistan have been unanimous in their praise. "He
has been able to highlight the Kashmir issue, which was the main plank,"
said Rifaat Hussain, head of the department of defence and strategic studies
at Islamabad's Quaid-i-Azam University. "The general impression here
is that he has done very well."
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| A MUST-READ:
Militants in PoK read about events that would determine their actions |
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However, Pakistan's militant groups who gave
Musharraf their approval before he flew to the summit were quick to return
to their vocabulary of war once he returned without a deal.
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, head of the hardline Lashkar-e-Toiba,
was eager to embrace a future of conflict. He spoke of redirecting his
group's efforts outside Kashmir towards other Indian military installations.
"Jehad will be accelerated and India will be dealt with a fatal blow,"
he said. Leaders of Al-Badr Mujahideen and Hizb-ul Mujahideen followed
suit. "The Kashmir issue cannot be solved through talks. Only jehad
will settle Kashmir," said Mohammed Hamza, a spokesman for Al-Badr.
"The jehadi movement will pick up momentum,"
warns Hamid Gul, former head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence
agency and a leading Kashmir hawk. He believes the Indian army scuppered
the joint declaration, fearing they would be pushed on to the back foot
in Kashmir. "A message has been sent to the psyche of the Kashmir
people that Pakistan is properly representing their cause," says
Gul.
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