Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah on Saturday called for dialogue between India and Pakistan to ease mounting tensions.
Prince Abdullah was delivered a message from President Pervez Musharraf by Pakistani Minister of Communications and Railways Javaid Ashraf, who arrived in Riyadh Friday for talks with Saudi leaders on tensions with neighboring India.
Pakistani diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the message was in line with Islamabad’s consultation and coordination with Riyadh on the Indo-Pak situation. They said the message also dealt with Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.
According to Arab News daily, Prince Abdullah voiced the Kingdom’s backing for Pakistan, but emphasized that dialogue is necessary to defuse tensions between the two South Asian neighbors, a Pakistani Embassy spokesman said.
On Saturday, Pakistan announced a series of steps to avert a conflict with India and vowed a crackdown on militants. In a widely watched televised address to the nation, President Musharraf vowed to rid Pakistani society of sectarian violence.
Musharraf’s address evoked mixed response from the people of the subcontinent living in the Saudi kingdom. Pakistani expatriates mostly welcomed the various measures their president announced, while Indians wondered whether the military ruler would translate his powerful rhetoric into action.
"We’ll have to wait and watch how far he will be able to stand by his announcement that Pakistan will not allow its territory to be used for any terrorist activity anywhere in the world," an Indian financial executive in Jeddah told the Arab News daily.
On the contrary, Hameed Khan, a senior Pakistani accounts executive in the city said: "Musharraf has handed India a peace offer by banning the two Kashmiri groups accused by India of involvement in the attack on its Parliament. This is a generous move and India must respond to this gesture by coming forward for negotiations instead of adopting a warlike posture."
Ishrat Salim, a Karachi businessperson based in Jeddah, said: "Musharraf has very shrewdly put the ball in India’s court. His speech was very balanced, very candid and he meant business. He was down-to-earth and his speech will go down very well with Pakistanis."
S.M. Arshad, a Pakistani marketing executive of Jeddah, said: "Despite immense diplomatic pressure, Musharraf came out well in his address. His tone was conciliatory. However, his resolve on Kashmir was firm."
In the Eastern Province, many expatriates expressed their unhappiness contending Musharraf did not announce any major policy shift. A large number of Pakistanis welcomed the regulatory measures, but criticized Musharraf for diluting his country’s stand on Kashmir. (Albawaba.com)
