An American military refueling plane crashed Wednesday night in Pakistan. “I can confirm that there has been a plane crash in Pakistan involving a KC-130,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters, adding U.S. President Bush had been informed.
The spokesman gave no further details, saying the U.S. Department of Defense was investigating the crash.
Pak-Indian Crisis
Meanwhile, a delegation of U.S. senators met on Tuesday with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and said that the leader indicated he would soon unveil a new policy for uprooting terrorism in South Asia in a bid to avert war with India, according to the International Herald Tribune.
The meeting highly raised expectations for a speech that General Musharraf plans to deliver later this week. The President, who has promised world leaders that he would control actions of Islamic militants in Pakistan, has said he would give details on how he plans to carry out his plan in a televised address to his nation.
U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Democrat, said General Musharraf hinted to his American visitors that his remarks would be “bold”. In a Press conference Tuesday, Lieberman said "I think President Musharraf is preparing a speech to the Pakistani people that will change the history of this country." The Senator strongly emphasized the speech had "the potential to be transformational." He added "I hope it will lead to a de-escalation of tension and perhaps a whole new relationship between Pakistan and India".
The senators said they urged General Musharraf to take further steps to stop Pakistan-based religious radicals of attacking. India and Pakistan, two nuclear rivals, were on the brink of war due to recent attacks. The Senators also praised Pakistan's leader for supporting the U.S. in its war in Afghanistan and told him that he had their support.
"There's no doubt the success we've enjoyed would not have been possible without his assistance," said Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican. "But we obviously encouraged him to do whatever he can to renounce terrorism and to defuse tensions in the region."
Since the September terrorist attacks in the United States, General Musharraf has tried immensely to reposition Pakistan as a moderate Muslim state, and change its reputation as a haven for terrorists and religious extremists. During the war in Afghanistan, he cut ties with the Taliban regime, a former ally, and gave U.S. armed forces access to Pakistani air bases despite ongoing internal opposition.
He has faced an even greater challenge in controlling militants who have caused trouble with Pakistan's bordering country - India. With huge Indian and Pakistan armies facing each other across the borderline, expectations and great attention are focused on the military leader’s speech, due to be delivered this week. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
