The latest to corroborate this and what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been saying all through, is the report of the Public Discourse Project in the US. The group comprises members belonging to different ideological view points of the now disbanded 9/11 commission.

In its report, just released in Washington, the group wants the US to exert pressure on Pakistan to take sufficient measures to crush terrorism both within Pakistan and in Kashmir. A quote from the report leaves nothing to doubt. “Terrorists from Pakistan carry out operations in Kashmir”.

It also says “Musharraf does not appear to have lived up to his promise to regulate the Madrasas properly or close down all those that are known to have links to extremist groups”. Can there be anything clearer than this? The US has for the first time admitted formally that Pakistan has not done enough on the terror front.

General Musharraf has been claiming that his Government has broken most of the radical gangs and terrorist outfits. “We have put them on the run”, he claims. In an interview to CNN a few days ago he said “…within Pakistan we have succeeded against terrorists”. He asserted that “Pakistan is a moderate country and moderate forces have reasserted themselves and religious forces have gone down”.

But facts and reports of various investigating agencies speak otherwise. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh minced no words in conveying to General Musharraf on Phone soon after the Delhi blasts that foreign linkage of the blasts, which claimed 57 lives and maimed scores others, was a matter of grave concern. The linkages were subsequently established by identifying at least two Pakistani nationals involved in the blasts along with a person from Kashmir, Tariq Ahmad Dar, who has already been arrested.

It is no secret that even the US is not all too happy with Pakistan’s half hearted approach in tackling terrorism in Pakistan and Kashmir. If it is continuing its patronage to Pakistan it is because of the circumstantial compulsions, due to the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. And catch up with him is the top most concern for the United States.

One would have expected General Musharraf to behave in a more humane way after the devastating quake that hit Kashmir on both sides of the LOC and Pakistan itself. Unfortunately, the General has belied that also. His antics that he will accept only material aid from India and not allow anyone to cross the LOC with relief material or that he will accept only helicopters but without Indian pilots has bared him before the international community.

The people of Kashmir have once again realized, as they always have, that Pakistan is interested only in the land of Kashmir and not its people. There are reports that Pakistani Army is now engaged in taking away organs of the quake victims for sale in the international market to make a fast buck. The reports to this effect have appeared in Pakistani media itself.

Human Rights Organisations have reported that Islamic Militants are taking away young boys and putting them in training camps to turn them into Jehadis.

Pakistan’s leading human rights organization Ansar Burney Welfare Trust has said that Jihadi groups fighting the Indian Government were taking orphans off the streets for terrorist training. It said it also had evidence that “sympathetic government officials” were passing on the orphans to the Jehadis to be looked after.

Mr. Fahad Burney of the Trust is quoted as having said “ we have heard from very reliable sources and seen with our own eyes that orphaned and lost children are being taken by jihadi organisations in northern Pakistan to be trained” in terror.

Pakistan’s one of the largest Jihadi groups Jamaat –ud-Dawa has called openly for orphans to be handed over to it for “Islamic education”.

Unfortunately again, failure of the Pakistani Authorities to reach the people in the worst affected areas, left the field open for the militants to fill the gap. That they did so, earned them popularity among the people.

The series of blasts that have been taking place in Kashmir for the last three days can not be wished away. The way former ministers are being targeted selectively, makes it clear that these are part of a larger game plan of the ISI.

It would be naive to believe that Pakistan is moving forward sincerely to promote cordial relations with India. It is primarily concerned with grabbing Kashmir by hook or by crook. It does not miss any opportunity to emphasize that there can be no normalization of relations with India unless Kashmir issue is resolved. It tried to link even the earthquake with the resolution of Kashmir issue.

At SAARC, which apparently was not Kashmir centric this time, Pakistan did not forget to bring in the Kashmir issue in one way or the other. Even before Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left Dhaka he told the media that there is no question of free trade with India until the Kashmir question is resolved. He said so soon after the SAARC summit reiterated its resolve to implement the deadline of a free trade area in south Asia by January one 2006.

The fresh wave of blasts in Kashmir and rest of India is changing the dynamics of the peace process between India and Pakistan. And if that happens, it will not be in the interest of either country. Pakistan needs to keep that always in mind.


Courtesy : Syndicate Features

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