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By B. Muralidhar Reddy
In separate interviews to the BBC Radio and Television, Gen. Musharraf argued that as a country that escalated tensions by mobilising forces on the border, it was for New Delhi to take steps for de-escalation. He claimed that Pakistan was fully prepared to meet any eventuality and would "teach a lesson" to India if its forces dared to cross the Line of Control. Pakistan was not bothered if India did not take steps for de-escalation as, in Islamabad's perception, the mobilisation of forces had hurt India more than Pakistan. Gen. Musharraf's observations assume significance as the interviews are the first by him since the shuttle diplomacy by high-level functionaries from the Bush and Blair administrations and the steps announced by New Delhi to defuse the tension in the last few days. He was not defensive on his regime's new strategy on Kashmir and asserted that Kashmir was a "national cause" of Pakistan. He said Pakistan would never compromise on its basic stand vis-a-vis Kashmir. Another interesting element of the interviews was his perception on the basic factor that prevented a war between India and Pakistan. In contrast to the view of the Presidential nominee of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, Abdul Kalam, that it was the nuclear deterrence that prevented a conflict, Gen. Musharraf gave credit to the conventional deterrence of Pakistan. On the border situation, he said the threat of war had, in fact, diminished but the capability for war existed as the forces remained. The situation would remain explosive and could flare up if anything happened inside Kashmir or inside India. There was the possibility of any terrorist organisation or group doing it. "Only withdrawal of troops from the border could reduce tension," he added. Gen. Musharraf was clear that only a dialogue "with serious intention" at the highest level (summit?) between India and Pakistan could help resolve the differences. Negotiations at lower levels could sideline the issues. He said the current tension between India and Pakistan had brought international attention to the Kashmir and he took credit for the "achievement". He did not agree with the interviewer that it was a mistake on Pakistan's part to have espoused the Kashmir cause in a particular manner. "It is not a mistake at all. The Kashmir cause is our national cause. National interest never gets changed. No country changes its national interest," he said. On de-escalation of tension on the border, he said: "We could not care less whether they de-escalate or not. We are totally prepared for them and we will teach them a lesson if they come out and cross the LoC. They dare not violate our international border. They dare not violate LoC. We will teach them a lesson on the ground and in the air. They know that. "Therefore it is for public consumption that they keep saying that unless we show some results they are not going to de-escalate. Well, we are happy. Let them keep sitting. It is paining them. They called back their Navy. What for? Let them remain in the high seas. They are not bothering us. It was bothering them. Therefore they called them back. So they are not doing us any favour by de-escalating. They should not be talking. We do not want them to de-escalate. They can carry on remaining on the border. We know what is hurting them.''
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