Author: Correspondent
Publication: NDTV.com
Date: May 8, 2009
URL: http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/more_us_pressure_on_india_to_pull_back_troops_in_jk.php
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari was
forced to answer America's tough questions over the ISI's links with the Taliban
at the first trilateral summit meeting between US President Barack Obama,
Pakistan President Zardari and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.
However, none of the tough words seem to change
what is essentially America's new Af-Pak policy - that of pumping billions
of dollars into Pakistan to fight the growing power of the Taliban in the
region.
But as President Obama and other senior American
leaders told Pakistan to stop focussing on India as a key threat and look
internally, instead, they also see a role for India in easing tensions.
There are indications that the US may put
pressure on India to pull back troops from the western border and the Line
of Control (LoC) so that Pakistani troops are free to move to the frontier,
after Zardari raised the issue during the Washington meetings.
At a press conference in Washington after the trilateral summit between US
President Barack Obama, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghanistan
President Hamid Karzai, when NDTV asked Zardari if troop withdrawal by India
was one of Islamabad's demands, he did not deny it and instead, said that
he hoped India and Pakistan could work together.
Earlier this week, Senator Kerry, the Chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations committee introduced a bill in the US senate
that aims to increase aid to Pakistan but without any restrictions and conditions
attached to it.
Speaking to NDTV, Kerry also hinted towards
the increased pressure on India.
"Troops issue has been discussed with
India," said Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
NDTV also spoke with the Interior Minister
of Pakistan who made it clear to the members of the US International Committee
on Foreign Relations that Pakistan would not accept any aid attached to conditions
aimed at pleasing India.
"Pakistan is facing insurgency. India
should also help, as the Taliban threat is common to India and Pakistan. There
needs to be a joint strategy to tackle Taliban. We want unconditional aid,"
said Rehman Malik.
Meanwhile, speaking to NDTV, former US ambassador
to India, Robert Blackwill said that India could now expect more pressure
from the Obama administration on the Kashmir issue. He also hinted towards
a new low in the Indo-US ties.
