Pak. to apprise Powell of concerns

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 15. Amid unprecedented security measures, the U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, arrived here tonight in a bid to shore up the Musharraf Government confronted with stiff resistance from the pro-Taliban religious parties and groups.

The visit, first by a senior Bush Administration functionary since the September 11 terror strikes on the U.S., is considered significant as Islamabad would like to utilise the opportunity to discuss some of its serious concerns arising out of the U.S. military campaign against Osama and the Taliban militia.

The biggest concern of Pakistan is the duration of the military campaign and the future political set-up in Kabul. Statements emanating from Washington about acts of terrorism in Kashmir are of equal worry to Islamabad. The view here is that the ``struggle in Kashmir is indigenous and cannot be bracketed with terrorism.''

Gen. Powell's visit coincided with a bandh called by the religious parties and groups. However, the bandh passed off without any major incident and the Musharraf Government managed to demonstrate its control over the situation.

Hours before Gen. Powell landed at the Chaklala military airbase, the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, presided over a meeting of the military top brass to take stock of the emerging situation after eight days of the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan and the efforts to cobble up an acceptable alternative political set-up in Kabul.

A three-member delegation on behalf of the former King of Afghanistan, Mohammad Zahir Shah, which arrived earlier in the day, had a detailed discussion with senior officials in the Foreign Office. The Musharraf regime is more or less reconciled to the prospect of the Taliban regime's fall in the wake of the military offensive and is trying to ensure that a hostile government does not replace it.

The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Mr. Riaz Mohammad Khan, told a news conference earlier in the day that all aspects of the Afghan situation, including the duration of the military operation in Afghanistan, and relations with India in the context of the Kashmir issue would be taken up with Gen. Powell.

Mr. Khan said Gen. Powell would have very detailed meetings with Gen. Musharraf and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar. As part of its agreement with Washington, Pakistan has given the U.S. access to its air space and intelligence and offered logistical support.

The religious parties and groups are up in arms against the alleged free run given to the U.S. troops in the use of airports at Jacobabad and Pasni. The Pakistan Foreign Office has been at pains to emphasise in the last few days that there were no combat troops in Pakistan and no military operations were undertaken from its soil.

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