NEW YORK, Jan 3: The New York Times, in an editorial, has welcomed Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s crackdown on militant groups.

“Pakistan has taken several steps to reduce the threat of war with its neighbour. Gen. Pervez Musharraf was reported this week to have cut his government’s military and intelligence links with two Islamic extremist groups operating in India, and to have arrested an estimated 100 militant leaders”, the paper noted.

The newspaper said: “It is up to India now to take Gen. Musharraf’s welcome gesture, build on it, and bring both countries back from the brink of a war that would be catastrophic for the region and world.”

It said: “India has yet to recognize that it can not use force alone to crush the aspirations among Kashmiris for independence or even greater self-government.”