WASHINGTON: In an interesting article published in The Washington Times on Friday, Libyan leader Moammar Qadhafi blames the United States and Israel for fanning differences between India and Pakistan.

‘The Pakistanis are told that their enemy is the Hindus, not the Jews or Christians, and therefore their bomb should be directed towards them, the Pakistanis’ immediate enemy, and not anyone else,’ writes Mr Qadhafi.

‘Similarly, the Indians are led to believe their real enemy is Pakistan and that the Pakistani bomb was directed towards them rather than the Israelis or Americans.’

The Libyan leader claims that this policy aims to preoccupy Pakistan with India and India with Pakistan. ‘Perhaps this is why America has not been willing to contribute to solving the Kashmiri problem, whereas the Israelis will try to keep it always flammable.’

Mr Qadhafi predicts that tension and anxiety between India and Pakistan will continue, as will the danger posed by a nuclear Pakistan. ‘Attempts by the Israelis and Americans to extricate themselves from this quagmire, by all means, also will never cease. Either way presents a dangerous endgame to the region and the world.’

The Libyan leaders claims that the West, particularly America, and Israel never wished for Pakistan to possess a nuclear bomb. ‘But on May 28, 1998, they woke up to the fact that Pakistan had become a nuclear state and blamed their intelligence services for failure to anticipate the nuclear tests.’

He notes that countless books, articles and speeches called Pakistan’s nuclear bomb the Islamic bomb, ‘as loaded a term as any, as many considered it a doomsday weapon directed against their interests.’

Mr Qadhafi claims that every effort was made to dissuade Pakistan from owning the bomb, noting that the then US Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger frankly told then Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, ‘If you make the bomb, we’ll make an example out of you.’

‘Mr Bhutto, the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, was hanged. Gen Zia, who Islamised Pakistan and consolidated its nuclear programme, was murdered. More recently, Benazir Bhutto, Mr Bhutto’s daughter, was assassinated. Others still may face a similar fate,’ writes Mr Qadhafi.

The Libyan leader then analyses the internal and external threats confronting Pakistan and concludes that the country is surrounded by a hostile environment that provokes its very Muslim essence.

‘This is the reason behind the formation of violent Muslim groups affiliated with the fierce tribes in Afghanistan as well as Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden,’ Mr Qadhafi argues.

‘The danger such fanatic groups constitute for the Israelis and Americans is that they may hold the reins of power, to which they indeed aspire,’ he notes. ‘If these groups governed the state – which is a possibility – it would be a very dangerous outcome for the Americans and Israelis.’

On the other hand, ‘if political parties, such as the PPP, or even the army, ruled, things would be relatively safe because they presumably constitute responsible institutions.’

‘Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that they can form sustainable governments,’ he concludes.