Author: Seema Guha
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 10, 2001
Ahead of the New York meeting between
General Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Pakistan is
revving up its rhetoric on Kashmir. By repeatedly asserting the centrality
of Kashmir, in any discussion with India, Gen Musharraf is boxing himself
into an inflexible position.
Going by the public statements made
by both the General and other Pakistani leaders, no result can be expected
from this second meeting. Soon after the Agra summit, comments and statements
from Islamabad suggested that both sides should go ahead and make the best
they could from the meeting, an Indian official said.
"This trend was noticeable till
the Prime Minister accepted Musharraf's invitation to meet in New York.
Once Gen Musharraf got the PM's acceptance, the tune changed. He went back
once again to harp on Kashmir," the official said.
By focusing on Kashmir, Kashmir
and nothing beyond Kashmir, Gen Musharraf is probably playing to his domestic
jihadi constituency. "But this kind of public posturing also means that
Pakistan cannot make any adjustments," the official said.
Perhaps Gen Musharraf like many
in the Pakistan army genuinely suffers from the mistaken belief that India
is bleeding because of Kashmir. And "a push and a shove" is all that is
needed to dismantle the Indian state.
India believes that Pakistan has
clearly signalled that it can deal a heavy blow on the Indian state through
the militant groups. "Pakistan is telling us, we can turn the tap on or
off, whenever we want. It is up to you to respond," an official said.
But New Delhi is bent on not going
to New York with blinkers on. The ball this time is solely in Pakistan's
court. In Agra, President Musharraf was told by both Prime Minister Vajpayee
and other Indian leaders of how far New Delhi can go to accommodate Pakistan's
concerns. "We have clearly explained our compulsions, it is now up to Pakistan
to understand that we cannot go beyond a point," a senior official said.
India is not quite certain what
the General's intentions are. Government sources know President Musharraf's
short term aim is to secure legitimacy for himself by November 2002. He
has to ensure some sort of political structure in place and buy himself
the legitimacy he needs to remain in the power beyond November next year.
