Front Page
Musharraf `hopeful' of Pearl's release
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, FEB. 8. Raising hopes of an early release of the abducted American journalist, Daniel Pearl, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today said he was ``extremely hopeful'' that the case would be solved successfully.
Addressing a joint news conference here with the visiting Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority, Hamid Karzai, Gen. Musharraf said the authorities were hopeful of securing Pearl's release.
It is for the first time since the Wall Street Journal reporter disappeared from Karachi that Gen. Musharraf has directly commented on the subject. Political and diplomatic observers believe that the General has much at stake in getting the journalist released and apprehending the culprits behind the kidnapping in view of his proposed meeting with the U.S. President, George W. Bush.
Gen. Musharraf's optimism came soon after a statement by senior officials in the Sindh province that Pearl's release would be secured in the next 24 to 48 hours. Police believe that the 38-year-old Pearl is alive.
Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, one of the three militants swapped for the passengers of an Indian Airlines plane hijacked in 1999, has emerged as the main suspect in the case. But police have not been able to track him down.
Reports from Karachi said that police were raiding the homes of his relatives and friends. They were also questioning the uncle of Farhad Naseem, who was found to have had photos of Pearl on his laptop. He was detained on Thursday. (A Reuters report from Karachi, quoting police sources, said three men had been formally arrested for their alleged involvement in Pearl's kidnapping. The three, who were detained earlier this week, would be charged when police would ask a magistrate to remand them for further questioning).
Musharraf leaves for U.S.
Gen. Musharraf left tonight for the U.S., prior to his official visit beginning on February 12 for a meeting with Mr. Bush. He will stay at Boston for two days with his son.
The General is scheduled to have a luncheon meeting with Mr. Bush on February 13 and hold discussions on wide-ranging issues, including bilateral relations and the Indo-Pak. standoff. This will be Gen. Musharraf's first official visit to Washington after he assumed power in October 1999.
At the news conference he addressed with Mr. Karzai, Gen. Musharraf said during his meeting with Mr. Bush, he looked forward for the normalisation of military sales and training between Washington and Islamabad.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the PPP leader and former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, may meet Gen. Musharraf in the U.S. It is based on the assumption that the PPP is inclined to strike a `deal' with the military Government as general elections in Pakistan are scheduled for October 2002.
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Front Page
|
