3 - 9 January 2002
Issue No.567
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 3 - 9 January 2002 Issue No.567 |
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Not too late
Pakistan's ambassador to Cairo, Anwar Kemal, said his country was willing to talk with India to solve their problems. But New Delhi should give up its language of threats and ultimatums first, he told Khaled Dawoud
What is your assessment of the currently tense situation between India and Pakistan?
Anwar Kemal
I think it is a very serious situation, and it is really because India has, unfortunately, spoiled the situation. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf took a very wise and courageous decision to support the campaign against terrorism and to join the US-led coalition against terror. My guess is that India did not expect us to take this decision, and they were surprised. But once this unfortunate attack took place against their parliament in which six or seven policemen were killed, they decided that all that was by the way. They lose so many policemen everyday....
Would you agree that the attack on the Indian parliament was symbolic?
Yes, I agree, and those people who carried out the attack should be punished. But to suggest that we are responsible for it is not being realistic. We condemned the attack, but we don't know who the attackers are. They (India) said they had some bodies, and that they look like Pakistanis. But we all know that it is very difficult to tell an Indian and a Pakistani apart. The Indian ambassador (to Cairo) was born in Pakistan.
But nobody has accused Pakistan of being directly responsible for the attack, or ordering it. The problem arises from the fact that India accuses Pakistan of providing support to groups fighting against its army in the disputed part of Kashmir.
I agree with that. But having said that, you must have noticed the very strange ultimatum they set. It was open- ended. They said Pakistan should take action against these groups. Who do they want? Do they want the whole anti-Indian occupation movement and all sympathisers to be arrested? We arrested a few people, including the leader of the group they named as being responsible for the parliament attack and froze the assets of several groups. But they have called our actions a mockery. The Pakistanis can't take bullying from the Indians. They think they are America and we are Afghanistan, but they are sadly mistaken. However, we have to be very careful and must not inflame the situation. The majority of Pakistanis want good relations with India and there are many things that we share together.
So shall we expect further Pakistani measures against armed groups fighting against India in Kashmir?
What we can do is to talk. What Pakistan wants to do is to discuss this issue. Let us solve our problems through talking, without ultimatums and without war. That's the difference between the Pakistani approach and the Indian approach. The Indians claim that Kashmir is an integral part of India, so we shouldn't talk about it further. Our approach is that we should not bring the whole 1.3 billion people of South Asia to the brink of war without thinking of the results. So we should talk with each other, and whatever proof they have, let them give it to us.
Yet, in recent days, we have seen several retaliatory measures such as trimming down diplomatic missions, restrictions on movement between the two countries, etc. Do you see the situation escalating?
We haven't reached the point of no return. We are hopeful that reason will prevail. India has done a very dangerous thing by mobilising its strategic forces, missiles and air force....
But hasn't Pakistan done the same by deploying its troops?
What we have done is to take the necessary precautionary measures. We are definitely not going to attack India, and we will not give them an excuse to attack us. But if they attack us anyway, then we have no choice but to defend ourselves, and then things could get out of control. Even if they attack in Kashmir by using the air force, the situation will become very dangerous. We feel very happy that the terrorists did not succeed in their attack against the Indian parliament, and as civilised people we must condemn that attack.
But shall we expect President Musharraf to deliver a clear message to anti-Indian groups fighting in Kashmir to put their attacks on hold ?
We can only control our side of the border. In the past, we have killed people who have tried to cross the line of control. We have also arrested Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohamed, and we have stopped these groups from collecting Zakat (alms) for their jihad. We will take whatever action required of us according to international law. But we will not be dictated to. We are doing our best to calm the situation. President Musharraf is against fundamentalism and against these people who want to fight a jihad all over the world. Jihad is a defensive concept, not an aggressive one.
Do you consider fighting against Indian troops in Kashmir to be an aggressive form of jihad?
There is a distinction between terrorism and a struggle for freedom. The Kashmiri people want to fight against Indian troops in order to change Indian policies. Can you tell the Palestinians to stop resisting the Israelis? No, you cannot.
How do you evaluate the US stand on the present tension between India and Pakistan? Some people are saying Washington seems to be siding with India
The United States very much wishes to maintain peace in the subcontinent. I don't think America is siding more with India. America also realises how valuable the help of Pakistan has been (in the war in Afghanistan). American policy is a very careful policy, and America knows very well that if they encourage India, the chances of war increase.
Do you think India is trying to stop the progress that has been taking place in relations between Islamabad and Washington?
I think this must be at the back of their mind. But every country has a right to pursue its national interest. We are not going to say India should not have good relations with the United States. But India is a very big country, and should behave in a mature way. It should not be worried when Pakistan's relations with the United States are good because their relations with the United States are also very good. So let's be realistic, modern and balanced in our approach.
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