Pakistan: US Pushing Bhutto Party to Build “Working Relationship” With Musharraf

Text of report by Hamid Mir headlined “Cooperate with President Musharraf, else nro will be removed; Message to PPP” published by Pakistani newspaper Jang on 21 February

Islamabad: The Bush administration is pushing the Pakistan People’s Party [PPP] to establish a “working relationship,” to work in future, with President Pervez Musharraf. According to the sources, the close sources of President Musharraf have warned the PPP of a closed ally if it [PPP] did not cooperate with them [Musharraf and party] as in case of refusing to cooperate, the National Reconciliation Ordinance could be removed and PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari be arrested.

A high-profile diplomat in Islamabad told The News that the United States having invested more than 10bn dollars in Musharraf would let no one destroy such a huge amount.

It is learned that the Bush administration not only wants to see Musharraf stay in office in view of the war against terrorism but also is willing to implement the Kashmir plan before the presidential elections in the United States. The Bush administration deems Musharraf the best choice even after the people of Pakistan have polled a loud proclamation of a big “No” in this regard.

According to the sources, to bridge the existing gulf between Zardari and President Musharraf, efforts are on.

Earlier on 27 December, Zardari had termed Musharraf “Gorbachev,” after the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto.

Tariq Aziz, a close advisor of President Musharraf, chalked out a final plan on Kashmir just a few days before the 18 February elections in Pakistan. Aziz has spent a number of days in Dubai recently where he had meetings with vital leaders of Indian- occupied Kashmir with the permission of the Indian Government]. On the other hand, Musharraf wanted to carry out the plans regarding the Kashmir issue in April with the support of the new political government. All these plans, however, turned to dust on 18 February. Yet Musharraf is not ready to admit that the 18 February public verdict is not only against him but also against all those policies that he chalked out under the pressure of the Bush administration.

According to the sources, Musharraf is indeed the most unpopular person in Pakistan, at the moment. He, however, is the most popular leader, even now, in New Delhi and White House. Prior to 18 February, top Indian leaders had given many indications to the world media to prefer President Musharraf to any other leader in Pakistan.

The current scenario signifies that the Bush administration would accept the PPP demand for the investigations of Bhutto’s murder case by United Nations. Consequently, the PPP would be asked to favour Gen Musharraf in exchange.

Here, Nawaz Sharif has sent a message to the Bush administration that though he is not against the war against terror, the war should include Pakistani interests also. Sharif has also bid the Bush administration to not to interfere in politics of Pakistan.

Originally published by Jang, Rawalpindi, in Urdu 21 Feb 08.

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