Ball back in Pak. court

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, DEC. 29. The reported decision of the Indian Government to clear the travel documents of the leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), to enable them to proceed with their visit to Pakistan, puts the ball back in the court of Pakistan on the new initiatives in Kashmir in the last few weeks.

In its December 2 statement the Pakistan Government announced the policy of `maximum restraint' on the Line of Control and extended an invitation to the Executive of the APHC to visit Islamabad for consultations on the Kashmir problem.

In extending the invitation to the Kashmiri leaders and appealing to the Indian Government to clear their travel documents, the Pakistani Government was perhaps testing the intentions of the Vajpayee Government more than anything else.

With the Indian Government having given the green signal to the APHC leaders to go ahead with their plans to visit Islamabad, in their individual capacity rather than as representatives of Kashmiris, the Pakistani Government would now have to gear up for the high profile visit.

What is more important the Pakistani Government would have to ensure that the visit goes off smoothly. And it is not easy in view of the divisions within the APHC on the role it wants Pakistan to play and perception of Kashmiri leaders on the role of the Pakistan-based militant organisations.

The issue of unification of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed prior to 1947 raised by some leaders of the APHC like Mr. Abdul Ghani Lone is another thorny issue for Pakistan. If any of the visiting Kashmiri leaders decide to rake up the issue, it could prove to be an embarrassment for the Pakistani Government.

Pakistan would also be anxious to ensure that the militant organisations operating from its soil do not go against the wishes of the Kashmiri leaders. The military government has not been able to reign in militant outfits such as the Lashkar-e- Taiba and the Harkatul Ansari.

These organisations have not only rejected the peace moves by both India and Pakistan but have been openly advertising their intentions to strike at the military and other high profile installations and buildings in India. The recent attack on the Red Fort in Delhi is a case in point.

In the course of his recent visit to Islamabad, Mr. Lone had made it clear while help from the militant organisations was welcome in Kashmir, the political parties engaged in fight against India could not be expected to take dictation from them.

CPI hails move

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 29. The Communist Party of India today endorsed the decision of the Centre to allow Hurriyat leaders to travel to Pakistan and observed that the Government would at some point have to hold talks with Islamabad to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Describing the declaration of ceasefire as a step which was ``long overdue'', the CPI general secretary, Mr. A.B. Bardhan told The Hindu that the move could at best create a condition which would have to be followed up by substantive talks.

The party advocated that the Centre should first engage groups which had persuaded themselves to hold talks with the Government stating this in turn would create pressure on those who were recalcitrant. Unlike the shrill cry from NDA allies such as the Shiv Sena over the Ramzan peace initiative and subsequent attacks, the CPI said the country should not be `disturbed' by some groups which were persisting in their violent activities and that these acts should not be allowed to derail the entire process.

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