Jaswant visit to Pak. unlikely now

By Atul Aneja

NEW DELHI, OCT.10. With the internal situation in Pakistan in a state of flux, the visit of the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, to Islamabad is not likely to materialise soon.

``The visit of the External Affairs Minister to Pakistan is not imminent,'' the Ministry spokesperson, said, responding to a volley of questions during her daily press briefing. While the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, during his telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, on Monday did invite him and Mr. Singh to visit Islamabad, no decision had been taken then. Neither had there been any official communication between the two sides on the subject subsequently, Government sources said.

Sources point out to three key reasons to explain why the ``timing'' of an early visit by Mr. Singh to Islamabad may be incorrect. First, the internal situation in Pakistan is volatile and is likely to preoccupy the mind of the Pakistani leadership in the coming days.

Second, a number of high-level visits to the region are expected and these could have a bearing on how the ground situation both in Pakistan and Afghanistan evolves. The U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, is expected to visit India, Pakistan and China in the third week of October and the German Chancellor, Mr. Gerhard Schroeder, is likely to come here later this month. India, therefore, may like to defer any decision on Mr. Singh's visit till the impact of international diplomacy in the region is evaluated.

India in the coming days is likely to exert itself to generate international opinion favouring broadbased talks between New Delhi and Islamabad. Third, New Delhi is looking for some signals from Pakistan to suggest that it is no longer fixated on the Kashmir agenda.

The fire in the Pakistani General Headquarters was the subject of much speculation here today. One view here is that the blaze which lasted five hours may not have been caused accidentally and, on the contrary, could be linked to the changes instituted by Gen. Musharraf in his team of corps commanders on Sunday. Another view is that the fire could have been self-inflicted and may have been intended to destroy records which expose the Pakistan Army's extensive links with the Taliban. The spokesperson, however, declined to speculate on the cause of the fire. ``We have seen reports of the fire which was brought under control,'' she observed.

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