NEW DELHI, Sept 17: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Wednesday that Pakistan has had informal contacts with Israel since the days of Gen Ziaul Haq and alleged that President Gen Pervez Musharraf by broaching the issue of ties with Israel publicly in the United States had allowed Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to quickly invite Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

In a signed article in The Indian Express, Ms Bhutto said: “Although informal contacts between Islamabad and Tel Aviv have existed since the days of General Ziaul Haq, Islamabad links recognition to the resolution of the Jerusalem and Golan Heights issues.”

“Perhaps the general thought all doors to Washington led through Israel,” Ms Bhutto wrote. “Or perhaps he wanted to dangle a carrot for his continuation in office...Surprisingly, the general thought a hard-nosed state like Israel would bite a dangling carrot, cutting its strategic relationship with India for a ‘debate’ in Islamabad.

“Of course Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was listening. He swiftly invited Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to New Delhi to let those in the dark know the Israeli-Indian nexus was safe and sound.”

Ms Bhutto said that decision-making in Pakistan once took place in an institutional framework, allowing debate between different governmental departments. This resulted in credible, legitimate, serious and acceptable policies, based on consensus.

“No more. Ever since commando-style politics reshaped Islamabad’s foreign policy, impetuousness is the name of the game,” she said.