Pakistan shares clues of new Indian N-test with US
Dawn Report
WASHINGTON, Feb 13: Pakistan had received some indications of an impending new nuclear test by India and shared its information with the United States, but Islamabad had no concrete evidence to offer at this point, General Pervez Musharraf said here on Tuesday afternoon.
Kicking off his three-day visit to the US with a lecture organized by two eminent Washington-based think-tanks, the Pakistani leader blamed India for creating the present state of tension on the borders, and referred to New Delhi’s recent missile test before making his remark about indications of a possible nuclear test. He said there were certain indications (relating to a test) and “I did share this” information with the US, but he could not give conclusive evidence. If there was any, then it should be checked.
But Gen Musharraf renewed his offer of purposeful negotiations with India to move relations between the two countries forward. He said Pakistan wanted peace for the sake of progress of all countries in the region, and Pakistan and India had to address all issues to achieve peace, including the Kashmir issue.
The general said India and Pakistan should stop looking back, look forward, “look for peace,” start a dialogue accepting the centrality of the Kashmir issue and initiate a process of eliminating what was unacceptable to both countries.
He made it clear he was not in Washington to seek a solution of the Kashmir question, but said international mediation or facilitation was necessary because the bilateral process as outlined in the Shimla Agreement had failed.
Answering questions at the end of his lecture, which was arranged by the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars and the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Gen Musharraf outlined his “vision for Pakistan,” including political restructuring that would seek a balance of power between the president and the prime minister and creation of a national security council that would prevent further military intervention.
He said he wanted to capture the “essence of democracy,” and asserted that no organization or group or political party would be allowed to meddle in international politics.
The writ of the government, he stressed, must prevail. Although the general did not explain what he meant by ‘meddling,’ nor was asked to do so by questioners, his reference appeared to be directed at active involvement by Pakistan-based parties beyond the country’s borders.
A questioner, welcoming Gen Musharraf’s reiteration of electoral reforms already carried out, including restoration of joint electorates, asked whether the Ahmadis would be allowed to become part of the mainstream. The president said he had not thought of this so far; he had so many “bullets to bite.”
The amphitheatre where the lecture was held was packed. Security was strict on a day when the FBI had broadcast a new and “credible” threat of a possible terrorist action directed against the US.
He told his audience that Pakistan was a moderate Muslim country and while in the Middle East, in South-east Asia, in Iran and Turkey, there were religious undercurrents in politics, religious parties in Pakistan had never won more than five per cent seats in national elections. He renewed his commitment to hold elections in October.
