After 9/11 Pakistan has come under extreme pressures not only from the United States but also from many quarters that wish to exploit the forced scenario in which Pakistan is placed to take great risk in the context of “War on Terror”. Supporters of Pakistan might say that after 9-11Gen. Musharraf has “cracked down” on such terrorist groups. But has he really done that?
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf refuted accusations that his intelligence services or the army were helping Taliban but admitted that some border guards had turned a “blind eye” towards Taliban fighters launching attacks in Afghanistan.
Musharraf told a press conference-
We had some incidents I know of, that in some posts, a blind eye was being turned.
Karzai has openly accused Pakistan of backing Taliban, which was ousted by US-led forces in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. But, Musharraf refuted accusations that Pakistani intelligence or army were helping Taliban in its attacks against the Afghan regime of Hamid Karzai.
Gen. Musharraf also said-
To cast aspersions on the army or ISI is absolutely wrong.
adding that NATO-led forces must do more, he said,
We refuse to take full responsibility for crossing of the border.
However, the outgoing US intelligence director John Negroponte has also said that Pakistan was sheltering Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
Pakistani Double Standards
For Pakistan, it is not strange to maintain such double standards. In January 2002, under heavy American pressure, Musharraf banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and a few other militant groups. However, the terrorist leaders were never prosecuted; instead, they were placed in the government safe houses as a result these groups were up and running under new names. After the international pressure died down, they were quietly released.
Again, it is not strange for the government of the Islamic republic of Pakistan that wants to have some kind of political leverage in Afghan affairs by deliberately ignoring the activities of anti-Afghan government elements operating from its territories.
Is America Gambling here?
I think America is gambling for Pakistani assistance to capture a few hundred al-Qaida foot soldiers. Worse still, the ominous conspiracy between Pakistani nuclear scientists, intelligence officials and al-Qaida linked terrorist groups illustrates a clear and present danger to America. At some point, someone in American policymaking circles needs to evaluate whether all this is a fair price to pay for Pakistani assistance or not. But the question arises is the Bush administration paying attention? Or can it do anything about it? Only time will tell...
Via: Islamonline
