Author: Our Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: December 20, 2003
Introduction: Pak Backtracks On
Gen's Promise In Under 24 Hrs
Barely 24 hours after creating a
major stir, Pakistan today went back on President Pervez Musharraf's remarks
and claimed that it had never dropped the demand for a plebiscite in Kashmir.
President Musharraf, while maintaining that there was a need for flexibility
and to move beyond stated positions, had told Reuters yesterday that Pakistan
had "left aside" the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.
Islamabad's backtracking, forced
by sharp criticism from political parties as well as hard-line groups in
Pakistan, came with a clear denial from Pakistani information minister
Sheikh Rashid. "He has not dropping the call of plebiscite. He's saying
that we can think of certain other things, we have some alternative proposals,"
Rashid said, according to AFP. He, however, declined to outline the alternative
proposals contending that Mr Musharraf would raise them with Indian leaders
when "serious talks" are held.
The Pakistan foreign office, which
as as a matter of routine, reiterates the need lore implementation of UN
resolutions, put up a brave face by claiming that Mr Musharraf has been
quoted out of context in the interview. Its spokesperson Ma-sood Khan was
quoted, according to reports from Islamabad, as having said that Mr. Musharraf
did not state that the resolution of the issue should not be in accordance
with UN resolutions. He said that Pakistan could neither sideline nor forget
the Kashmir issue and would pursue it on every front. New Delhi, however,
refrained from taking any position either on President Musharraf's remarks
nor on the subsequent brouhaha that followed, indicating its inclination
to watch developments rather than rush to judgment. Prompt responses had
come in from several quarters including the US, which had welcomed President
Musharraf's proposal.
Analysts here felt that there was
a clear element of grandstanding by Mr Musharraf, induced by a desire to
take the centre stage on the eve of the Saarc summit. Some others however
interpreted it as an indication of the Pakistani leadership moving towards
the Shimla agreement.
