Pakistanis euphoric, militants to wait and watch

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JULY 15. A sense of euphoria is creeping in here as the summit-level dialogue between the Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, got under way in Agra.

The civil society is thrilled over the news of Mr. Vajpayee accepting Gen. Musharraf's invitation to visit Islamabad to continue the process of engagement and sees it as a positive development towards normalisation of ties between the two countries.

At the same time, they are conscious of the pitfalls ahead in the improvement of ties, given the false starts and the dangers involved in over-estimating the prospects ahead.

However, the Pakistan based-militant groups do not share the enthusiasm. They would prefer to wait and watch for a clear picture to emerge on the concrete follow-up steps on both sides to address the basic issues involved.

Mr. Mushaid Hussain, Information Minister during the Nawaz Sharif regime, told The Hindu that ``I have no hesitation in conceding on the basis of the last two days of the visit of Gen. Musharraf that the first signs are good. The environment appears to be positive and the summit is moving in the right direction''.

Mr. Hussain, who was Minister-in-waiting when Mr. Vajpayee embarked on his famous bus ride to Lahore in February 1999, said the Agra Summit was continuation of the Lahore process initiated by the Nawaz Sharif government. ``I am prepared to give the credit to Gen. Musharraf for carrying forward the process of re- engagement with India after 18 months. The fact that the Indian Prime Minister has decided to accept the invitation to visit Pakistan is an indication that there is enough progress at the two rounds of talks between the two leaders and warrants a return visit''.

The former Prime Minister and President of Pakistan- occupied Kashmir, Sardar Qayyum, echoed similar sentiments. ``I have been stating in the last few months that with a military ruler at the helm of affairs in Islamabad and a BJP-led Government in New Delhi, this is the best opportunity to attempt to resolve their differences''.

Mr. Qayyum, whose party recently won the general election and who is expected to take over as Prime Minister of PoK again, described Mr . Vajpayee as the ``most experienced politician in the sub-continent''. He said it would be political suicide for both sides if the opportunity provided by the summit were not put to good use.

No great hopes: Hizb

The chief of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin, told The Hindu over phone from Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, that Kashmiris have no great expectations from the summit. ``There have been so many bilateral talks and agreements between India and Pakistan in the last 53 years. I want to ask what they have achieved? I do not see any great breakthrough on the fundamental issues till India is not prepared to accept Kashmir as a disputed territory and agree for a tripartite dialogue involving India, Pakistan and Kashmiris''.

Mr. Salahuddin said if India was really serious in resolution of the Kashmir issue, it should allow the Kashmiris to decide their future by giving them the right to self- determination as provided in the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Laskhar silent

The Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been strongly opposed to the summit, chose to maintain a diplomatic silence on the news from India. It is perhaps a coincidence that the website of the Lashkar has gone blank. A spokesman of the Lashkar said that the website is not available for ``technical reasons'' and it would be back very soon.

Now or never: PML

UNI reports from, Rawalpindi:

The Pakistan Muslim League (Qasim group) today said India and Pakistan have reached a point of ``now or never' on resolution of the Kashmir issue.

``The opportunity which has come through the Agra summit should not be lost and the two countries need to continue with the dialogue process for a permanent and lasting peace in the sub- continent,'' party spokesman Syed Kabit Ali Wasti said in an interview to the All India Radio.

He said both Mr. Vajpayee and Gen. Musharraf demonstrated great courage and statesmanship to make the summit a reality.

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