'Pak. will be guided by India's wishes'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JULY 5. Pakistan is not likely to make an issue of a meeting between Hurriyat leaders and the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, during his visit to India.

``We have been maintaining right from the beginning that while the Chief Executive would like to have a meeting with the Hurriyat leaders, he would be guided on the subject by the wishes of the Indian Government,'' a senior official of the Pakistan Government said in response to the decision of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to make public Gen. Musharraf's letter and the reaction of the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

It appears Gen. Musharraf decided to send a formal letter to the Hurriyat expressing his desire to meet them during his visit to India after the adverse feedback from the valley.

``It is no more than face saving by Pakistan. Having built the Hurriyat as the only representative body of Kashmiris, Pakistan cannot afford to be seen as backing out of its commitment for the cause of the APHC,'' remarked a western diplomat.

Notwithstanding the ``direction'' by Gen. Musharraf to the Pakistani mission in New Delhi, there are serious doubts if the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, Mr. Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, would extend an invitation to the Hurriyat leaders for the tea party he is hosting on July 14.

``He can always say that while he wanted to invite the Hurriyat leaders or facilitate a meeting with Gen. Musharraf, he chose not to do so in deference to the wishes of the Indian Government. It would serve every one's purpose. The military Government in Pakistan would be making its point and it would provide the much- needed face saving for both the military establishment and the Hurriyat,'' said a senior journalist.

Pakistan is fully aware that any insistence on its part to facilitate a meeting between Gen. Musharraf and the Hurriyat leaders could have an adverse impact on the summit. ``As far as we are concerned, we have made it clear to Pakistan that it would not be appreciated. Now, it is up to Pakistan to decide. Actually, we have been given to understand by those who matter that no meeting is on the cards,'' a senior diplomat in the Indian High Commission said.

In another development, Pakistan has welcomed the Indian Government's decision to release all Pakistani civilian prisoners as a ``positive development'' on the eve of the summit.

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