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archive: Back to pavilion?

Back to pavilion?

Editorial
The Pioneer
June 30, 1999


    Title: Back to pavilion?
    Author: Editorial
    Publication: The Pioneer
    Date: June 30, 1999
    
    Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who predictably rushed to
    Beijing once the diplomatic heat on his country was turned up in the
    wake of the Pakistani intrusion into Kargil, cut short his five-day
    visit on Monday to return home. The visit, which included only one
    official working day and four days when he was to be on his own,
    presumably as a tourist, had to be aborted due to "the situation back
    home", as a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman put it. China is a
    long-standing ally of Pakistan and it was not surprising that given
    Islamabad's total international isolation its top policy makers would
    make a beeline to Beijing for moral and other support. Earlier too, Mr
    Sharif's foreign minister, Mr Sartaj Aziz, had made a quick dash to
    China on the eve of Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's
    visit. Mr Sharif, seeking support from his country's best friend in
    the region, would not have been unaware that, China's stand has so far
    been neutral, much to Pakistan's chagrin and India's satisfaction.
    However, his hopes must have been dashed; on Monday Chinese Premier
    Zhu Rongji reiterated his country's position that both India and
    Pakistan must resume talks to end the fighting. The issue had been
    left over from history and could only be resolved through peaceful
    negotiations, the Chinese Premier has been quoted as saying. This is
    in keeping with China's own pragmatic handling of its border dispute
    with India in which it has agreed to shelve contentious issues and
    move forward on the commonalties, something that Pakistan has found
    itself incapable of doing with India. That Pakistan's strongest friend
    and ally has tried to get Pakistan see reason and not indulge in such
    foolhardy adventurism as in Kargil must have deeply disappointed Mr
    Sharif and contributed to his decision to head homewards empty handed.
    
    Nevertheless, domestic worries may also have preyed on the Pakistani
    Prime Minister's mind while in China. His tenuous position
    internationally could not have been without an impact on his domestic
    standing and an increasingly restive army, already unhappy with his
    peace initiatives with India as well as his recent attempts to curb
    the power of various sections like the judiciary and the media, could
    be tempted to meddle in civil administration. With the Foreign
    Minister already away to Africa to woo the Organisation of Islamic
    Countries, there was a vacuum at the upper echelons in Pakistan's
    power structure. Given the history of coups in his country, Mr Sharif
    could not be blind to the implications of this situation in the
    current crisis. Given that Pakistan's democracy is at the best of
    times extremely fragile and the Army would be unwilling to own up its
    military and diplomatic defeat, there is no saying what could happen
    in his absence. Whatever may be the case, India needs to be alert.
    Fearing the worst and wanting to keep the Army in good humour, Mr
    Sharif may well become more belligerent in Kargil and elsewhere.
    



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