The Hindu : Musharraf rules out handing over of 'fugitives'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 17, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Musharraf rules out handing over of 'fugitives'
By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 16. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has ruled out handing over the 20 `fugitives' wanted by India and said Pakistan would not give any face-saving device to enable India to withdraw its troops from the frontlines.

Addressing Pakistani correspondents just before leaving Washington, Gen. Musharraf said, ``they have this list of 20 people now. I am not going to do their bidding. As for the withdrawal of troops from the borders, it is our own deterrence that they had come and they have realised that there is nothing they can do because of our strength''. He also claimed that while the U.S. advocated the settlement of the Kashmir dispute bilaterally, `behind the scenes' it was trying to facilitate a solution.

On the Indian troop mobilisation, he said that ``they have to go back. They will have to create their own face-saving device. We cannot give it to them. They came of their own accord so they have to find a rationale for going back.'' He was of the view that after his decision on January 12 to ban the Lashkar-e- Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, India should have withdrawn its troops from the border.

``We took action in our national interest and banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, the two organisations India was accusing of attacking its Parliament. After my January 12 speech, India should have withdrawn troops from our borders themselves. They did not. They have their political reasons too''.

Gen. Musharraf said he was reasonably sure that when the State elections in India were over, New Delhi should be withdrawing its troops from the frontline.

Gen. Musharraf said some religious organisations in Pakistan had assumed the thekedari of jehad (contractors of holy war) in many countries and had become active participants in international politics. ``Such meddling was wrong''. Banned organisations such as the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba had been found to have links even in places such as Chechnya.

Answering a question, Gen. Musharraf said he still considered the `resistance of the Kashmiri people to Indian oppression as a freedom struggle'.

On the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), he said that the political leadership might have manipulated it in the past. But at present it was under military command and no one could dare go against the Government's wishes. He argued that it was wrong to call the ISI a government within a government.

He ruled out forming a political party or seeking elections, but said it was being examined how his term as President could be constitutionally extended.

On the outcome of his visit to the U.S., he said people had the habit of having high expectations and then feeling disappointed when these were not met.

While no progress had been made on the F-16 issue, a Defence Consultative Group had been set up for discussions to continue. Gen. Musharraf said that Pakistan had come out from almost a ``pariah'' status to a place of respect in the international community.

He ruled out any adverse effect on the Pakistan-China relationship because of Islamabad's growing ties with the U.S. and pointed out that the U.S. President, George Bush, was himself due to visit China shortly. He also referred to the Chinese Prime Minister's recent visit to India, and said it had not affected Beijing's ties with Islamabad.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Court verdict only solution to Ayodhya dispute: PM

VHP 'surprised'

Mulayam-Sonia rift widens

Musharraf rules out handing over of 'fugitives'

Team for Shimla to investigate 'plague-like' infection

Suspense persists over Pearl's fate

Manipur repoll peaceful

Strike hits life in J&K

3 militants held

First Global chief remanded