Pakistani Analysts: Israeli or Indian Interference in Afghan Crisis Would Plunge Whole Region into Flames
By Khaled Abul Kheir and Amjad Baker
Albawaba.com – Amman
Pakistani analysts say that if India or Israel plays any role in apparently imminent US attacks on Afghanistan in retaliation for the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the whole region will explode, according to the editors of major Pakistani newspapers.
The following are excerpts of interviews with the analysts:
Ammar Ahmad Khan, The Herald:
Q. What are the latest developments in Pakistan and its neighbor, Afghanistan?
A. Everyone is waiting for news from Afghanistan. The latest was that scholars meeting there recommended, and not asked, that Osama bin Laden leave Afghanistan voluntarily. But this is a recommendation and the final decision would be Mullah Mohammad Omar’s.
Everybody is watching the reaction to President Musharraf’s address to the nation last night, in which he seemed to support America. However, his address is going down pretty well and it has been understood in Pakistan despite some disagreement, about 10-15 percent of all the people.
He seemed to have managed to explain well what kind of situation Pakistan is facing, and people seem to be responding to what he said.
Q. What is the actual extent of opposition to President Musharraf’s decision?
A. I think it would be right to assume that the strength of the opposition does not exceed what the president mentioned in his address.
Meanwhile, we have to distinguish between active support and passive sympathy. It may be that a lot of people in Pakistan sympathize with the Afghans and disagree with the decision, but whether this disagreement will turn into some kind of active demonstration, is unlikely.
Q. There have been remarks that Pakistan will wait for a price that it should exact in return for any support it gives the US, including that related to Kashmir and other issues. What will this price be?
A. It is very early to speculate on that. I do not think anybody is now considering a material gain or loss.
In fact, we know nothing of the existence of any Pakistani demands as a prerequisite for meeting the US demands.
Q. Has Pakistan set any conditions to take part in the coalition?
A. Pakistan made it clear that all measures taken by the US should be under the umbrella of the UN, and also that India and Israel should not be part of the coalition.
Otherwise, all fronts will explode.
Q. How do you see Taliban’s threat that it would consider all who take the US side an enemy?
A. Most people are worried about this threat. It could be translated into bomb blasts and internal unrest in Pakistan.
Q. What is your comment on a threat to kill President Musharraf by the London-based Muhajiroon extremist movement?
A. I haven't heard of such a threat, but it is categorically rejected.
Malik Zahed, Pakistan Observer
Q. What will happen if Taliban does not hand over Bin Laden?
A. It is not clear so far, but Islamabad is still optimistic. I personally think that Taliban would agree to hand bin Laden over to another Islamic or neutral country. Then it would be a different situation. We should realize, however, that Pakistan has taken a firm stance in conformity with the rest of the world.
Q. But there are 140 million Pakistanis over there, and aren't many of them opposed to the Pakistani decision?
A. We are a democratic state, and people here have the right to stage demonstrations and chant anti-government slogans. On the other hand, it is not easy to judge whether the majority of Pakistanis are with or against the government decision. But I believe that most of them reject terrorism, yet they're waiting for solid evidence that Bin Laden is involved in the attacks.
Q. How do you perceive US, Indian and Israeli threats to attack Pakistani nuclear facilities?
A. This may sound irrelevant, but it remains a possibility. And the fact is, we are under tremendous pressure from the international community and the US. However, the threats were made implicitly and vaguely.
Q. Have you received Arab support at this time?
A. Yes, we have received support from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and a number of Muslim countries.
Q. And China?
A. Pakistan is in constant communication with China, and the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan met yesterday with the foreign minister, and called the president three days ago. Pakistan will never ignore China.
Q. What does Pakistan expect later?
A. If the world is really against terrorism, it should focus on the Kashmir issue and make sure that its people achieve their legitimate right to democracy.
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
