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President Bush to compliment Vajpayee on Kashmir peace process
-by Sanjiv Prakash

          Washington, May 30: Words of praise from the American President await Prime Minister Vajpayee at Avian when the leaders of the G-8 and the special invitees get together to reflect on world affairs, especially developments in post-war Iraq. The US administration has expressed full support to the peace initiative that India has undertaken in Kashmir with the offer of talks to Pakistan. US sources here are specifically focussed on the fact that despite a number of provocations, India has not substantively changed its position from the Prime Minister's offer of peace to Pakistan as announced in Srinagar in the thrid week of April.

          While there is no formal meeting planned between President Bush and Prime Minister Vajpayee, the two leaders will get a chance to exchange a few words during the course of the summit. It is understood from sources close to the administration that the President will express his support and appreciation to the Indian Prime Minister for the peace moves that he has undertaken with Pakistan. The administration is well aware that violence in Jammu and Kashmir continues unabated. Infiltration levels are again going up and just this week the Indian Army fought a major counter terrorism battle at Surankote in the Doda district where over a hundred Pakistani militants from the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had entrenched themselves. The Army operation led to the killing of as many as 62 militants and the diaries found on their person confirmed the Pakistan link.

          Despite the provocations and especially the Surankote incident which many analysts are referring to as a "mini Kargil" the Indian Prime Minister has not deviated from the path he announced at Srinagar and this has gone down very well with the administration. "India's patience and determination to deal with terrorism have won New Delhi high marks in Washington", commented a US source and it is this thought process which the President will pass along to Vajpayee at Avian.

          As things stand, the US is not about to present a "roadmap" on Kashmir to India either now or in the foreseeable future. The administration is glad that New Delhi seems to have partially accepted Pakistan's reasoning that cross-border infiltration is not totally of its doing but that individual groups with their own agenda were at the forefront of the infiltration. Sources here believe that in the days to come India's patience could be put to even greater test by the disparate groups of professional jihadis and it is to strengthen India's grit and resolve to stay on the choosen path that President Bush hopes to accomplish by having a personal chat with the Indian Prime Minister at the sidelines of the G-8 summit.

Two faces of Musharraf and his enormous powers (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, May 30: As President and army chief, Pervez Musharraf has his fingers on every pie. Whether this is good for governance or not is a moot question, but the General sees himself as a conduit between the military and the civilian society. On the other hand, in the wake of the government- Opposition standoff on the Legal Framework Order, he was forced to admit that the concept of dual post is untemable, something which makes democracy a sham. Yet he sticks to the uniform. This puts Musharraf in a catch-22 situation, says an editorial in the Nation. But the LFO crisis keeps on deepening and will cast a shadow on the upcoming budget session as also on the President's Washington trip later in June.

          It is officially argued that the current regional and international situation underscores the need to keep Musharraf both as President and Chief of Army Staff. How this actually helps is not explained. But, as the Opposition says, isn't a full-time COAS better for the job, who will not have to bother about political and diplomatic matters? However, neither the President nor the Opposition has discussed in public the real reason behind the decision. But the President's theoretician, Gen. Naqvi, was more candid during a press conference in Washington after the President left the US. Asked if he was afraid a new army chief may try to encourage the forces opposed to the President if he quits charge of the military, Naqvi's response was an emphatic 'yes', the editorial adds. Because of the LFO and other legislative and executive steps, Musharraf has become the most powerful President in Pakistan's history. If that is not enough to give him security from a scheming army chief, no civilian President or Prime Minister operating within constitutional confines could ever rule the country.

          Musharraf has discretionary powers to make key appointments in the military, the judiciary and the executive branch. In allocation of special seats in the Assembly and the Senate, the nominees of the General got the first preference, as is the case with the Cabinet. Then, he has his hand in formulation and execution of policies in almost every department. The defence minister has hardly anything to do with defence, so he fights for retaining control over the PIA and allied departments. The finance minister is his nominee and runs the policies of his regime.

          Next, foreign affairs are his exclusive domain. He presides over all important meetings on all important foreign issues held at Army House. He makes key trips and receives important telephonic calls and visitors from abroad, and has now pledged to devote more time on education, health and investment. But the army chief, the editorial comments, should have no business to involve himself in politics and endanger political stability. The country must do something about it.