India sees little hope of Pakistan mending ways

By C. Raja Mohan

NEW DELHI, MAY 2. Although the United States has put Pakistan on notice, there is no expectation in the Government here that the Gen. Pervez Musharraf regime will end its support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir any time soon. Official sources here say the Government is satisfied that the Clinton Administration has finally confirmed what India has been saying all along about Pakistan's support to cross- border terrorism.

After years of dancing around the issue, the latest annual report of the U.S. State Department has now declared that ``credible reports continued to indicate official Pakistani support for Kashmiri militant groups that engage in terrorism''. Sources in the Government attribute the new clarity in the U.S. formulations to increasing frustration in Washington at Pakistan's failure to deliver on American regional security concerns, and growing institutional interaction between New Delhi and Washington on issues relating to international terrorism.

Sections of the American establishment, however, seem to be hopeful of a change in Pakistan's support for international terrorism in the wake of the President, Mr. Bill Clinton's tough message during his brief stopover in Islamabad at the end of March.

It is not surprising, informed sources here argue, that there is a residual temptation in Washington to soften the public blow against Pakistan.

This was evident at the press conference in Washington on Monday, where both the U.S. Secretary of State, Ms. Madeleine Albright, and the Coordinator on Counter-terrorism, Mr. Michael Sheehan, were quite cautious in their remarks on Pakistan.

While some in America might hope that there is redemption for Pakistan, India believes there is no evidence to suggest Islamabad is about initiate a major change in approach.

Gen. Musharraf, it is being pointed out, has not shown the ability over the last six months to move decisively in addressing the many diverse challenges he faces.

Neither on the economic front nor on the political scene has Gen. Musharraf been able to overcome the inertia of the past policies. It is being concluded here that Gen. Musharraf may not have the stomach to take on the various jehadi groups in Pakistan that are wedded to extremism and violence. There is no real political constituency in Pakistan supporting a different approach towards Kashmir. And the opposition to change is vocal and significant.

It is only a matter of time, officials here say, before India and the U.S. will have to begin finding a way to deal with the political consequences of Pakistan's reluctance or inability to kick its addiction to international terrorism.

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Section  : National
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