'Jehadi' banners surface in Pak.

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 3. An effort is under way to make the ritual of February 5, a ``day of solidarity'' with the Kashmiris, ``different'' from the earlier years. And, the difference was evident on the boulevards of Islamabad.

``Self-determination is the basic right of Kashmiris,'' a banner of the Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA) proclaimed outside the President's House, while ``Stop State terrorism in Kashmir'' read one put up by the Al-Badar Mujahideen, outside the National Assembly building.

The banners fluttered for several hours, before the one sported by the Al-Badar was taken down. The Harkat banner had not been taken down till late this evening. At other places on the Jinnah Avenue, Al-Badar banners could be seen.

Never before have the banners of these ``jehadi outfits'' fluttered with such impunity. Certainly not during the shortened tenure of the Nawaz Sharif Government.

Do these banners, which imply official sanction, signal to India, the U.S. and rest of the world that the ``jehadi face'' is the real face of Pakistan and that the ``progressive, moderate'' image projected by Gen. Pervez Musharraf is a chimera?

At a time when the U.S. has asked the Musharraf regime to crack down on the ``jehadi groups'', the Government is sending out a message that these groups are not on the fringe; they are the mainstream.

There are other signals as well. The Lashkar-i-Taiba, another ``jehadi'' outfit, will be holding a public meeting at the Aabpara Chowk in Islamabad on February 5. Needless to say, India will be one of the chief targets. The U.S., too, could be another target if the past rallies are anything to go by.

Yesterday, Gen. Musharraf announced that he would donate 50 per cent of his salary towards ``humanitarian assistance to the affected Kashmiris.''

``All members of the National Security Council and the Federal Cabinet will donate one day's salary. All officers in BPS-17 (grade 17) and above are also being requested to donate one day's salary on a voluntary basis,'' an official press release said.

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