Double Game

“THE Pakistan Government is playing a double game. It is a firm ally in the war on terror, but at the same time want to preserve its options to use the Taliban,” wrote retired US diplomat Dennis Kux in his book Disenchanted Allies. Again in June this year, former US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalizad indicated that fugitives like Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar found sanctuary in Pakistan. Thus President Musharraf praising Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was no big surprise. The Pakistani President claimed that the ISI had played a big role in anti Al-Qaida operations. The Pakistani President also categorically denied that during official meetings, the US or the British leaders had pointed an accusing finger at the ISI and described its personnel as “unsung heroes who have helped the capture of more than 700  Al-Qaida operatives.” But the facts depict a different picture. Pakistan has dispatched more than 80,000 troops to hunt militants along the rugged Afghan border. Though the Pakistani forces managed to arrest around 700 terrorists, it lost 270 soldiers and more than 600 were injured. Pakistan has been more aggressive rounding up foreign Al Qaeda militants rather than terrorists with origin closer to home. It is knowingly making a distinction between Al Qaeda, Taliban and home grown Pakistani groups. Four years after Musharraf taking the pledge to fight against terror, so far his country has managed to arrest only 46 Taliban leaders. As a matter of fact, Musharraf cannot risk moving aggressively against homegrown extremists. His government has marginalized secular democratic political parties and forged a partnership with a coalition of religious parties. Beyond doubt, Pakistan’s double game is weakening the fight against terror. Since the fateful 9/11, Musharraf had only offered promises but not delivered anything substantial. On January 12, 2002, the Pakistani President delivered a much anticipated speech in which he banned extremist groups, pledged to end support for militant attacks in Kashmir and promised to crack down on madrassas. But International Crisis Group has found that hundreds of militants who were detained earlier were released. Militant groups re-formed under new names. Madrassas were never registered and militant leaders continued to operate openly. India, on various occasions, has protested against the double game being played by Musharraf, but with very little or no results. Very recently, in his meeting with President Bush, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that Pakistan was controlling the ‘flow of terror’. Musharraf’s game plan is clear. He wants to keep the Kashmir issue alive. He is deliberately doing it to remain in power. Pakistani rulers over the years have used anti-Indian sentiments to consolidate their positions. The western world cannot ignore this fact and will have to listen to India if it wants to achieve a decisive victory against terror.

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