'Farooq demand on jehadis a manipulation'

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS, OCT. 5. The Pakistan Minister for Women's rights (social affairs and education), Ms. Atiya Inayatullah, on Thursday described Dr. Farooq Abdullah's demand that Pakistan crack down on jehadi militants operating in Kashmir as a ``manipulation''.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Ms. Inayatullah said: ``We must understand there is a lot of play. When talking about political issues, about an issue that has been there for fifty years, there is some manipulation, some play, some pushing of an issue.''

When pressed over what Pakistan would do to rein in militants operating from its soil, Ms. Inayatullah said: ``This is the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. They do not have their base in Pakistan. It is in Kashmir and I think it is important to clearly define who is a freedom-fighter and who is a militant''. Despite persistent questioning, Ms. Inayatullah evaded direct questions on the attack against the J&K Assembly carried out by the Pakistan-based group.

Speaking about current U.S. support to Pakistan by virtue of its being a ``frontline State'', Ms. Inayatullah said: ``Pakistan has no honeymoons with anyone. At this point in time, there are no permanent friends or enemies. There are only permanent interests and, at this time, Pakistan is looking at its national interests''.

Pakistan, she said, was very much a part of every process underway to find a solution to the Afghan problem.

``We are genuinely and desperately in need of a resolution of the Afghan problem. Whatever number of tracks are open, Pakistan is in the loop in each of them and we are waiting for the best formula,'' she said.

The U.S. and other Western powers are hoping to bring about a national consensus around the deposed former King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, a Pashtun, who has been living in exile in Rome for 28 years. But the Taliban have denounced the former King as ``a puppet of the United States''.

``We are not against this but we have said this does not stand a chance because it cannot be extended to a hundred per cent of the population,'' she clarified.

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Section  : International
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