|
Pakistan to Assist U.S. If Need Arises
ISLAMABAD, Sept 15 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Despite strong support from some quarters within Pakistan for the Taliban, Pakistan announced it would do whatever was required to assist the United States go after those responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in the U.S.
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf, prior to Saturday's announcement, had repeatedly stated that his government was fully committed to backing the United States.
Shortly after the news of the strikes in the U.S., Musharraf said his government "strongly condemned this most brutal and horrible act of terror and violence" adding that the world should unite to fight terrorism.
Washington currently speculates that the attacs were the brainchild of Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who is a "guest" of the ruling Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.
The Taliban, itself, has its roots in the religious schools inside Pakistan, one of only three governments that officially recognize the Taliban's authority in Afghanistan. The religious schools there remain the movement's strongest supporter.
"Many have therefore been surprised at the strength of the government's commitment to backing the United States," said BBC.
Pakistan's relations with the U.S. have fluctuated over the years.
The two countries were close, particularly in supporting the mujahideen (fighters) during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but their relationship has been more turbulent in recent years.
The United States has been widely accused by Pakistanis of being anti-Muslim particularly due to its current support of India, which maintains a brutal occupation in the "disputed" region of Kashmir, and for its backing of Israel in the Middle East conflict.
It was also seen as being the main force responsible for the imposition of U.N. sanctions against Iraq and the Taliban, which have provoked anger in Pakistan.
The United States also penalized Pakistan by imposing sanctions after its tit-for-tat nuclear tests following India in 1998 and the 1999 military coup that brought Musharraf to power.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell suggested that easing some of the sanctions on Pakistan these could provide some leverage in bringing Pakistan on board - but they have also fuelled resentment against the superpower, said BBC.
"The real test will come when it is asked to take more serious action. Up to now the government has sidestepped questions on what other kind of help it can provide saying it is too soon to tell," added the BBC.
A spokesman for the Taliban's supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, warned Musharraf that cooperating with U.S. action would prompt a backlash from his own people.
"Pakistan is a Muslim nation and the Pakistan government should look at the views of its own people who don't want the U.S. to attack Afghanistan. If they cooperate with the United States there will be very serious consequences for Pakistan."
Musharraf has promised the United States his full cooperation in the aftermath of the attacks, but both governments have refused to reveal details of their discussions.
Pakistani newspapers reported Friday that the U.S. had requested the use of the country's airspace to mount attacks on bin Laden's bases in neighboring Afghanistan.
A decision to actively cooperate with a U.S. attack on Afghanistan would represent a major departure for Pakistan.
Pakistan's military intelligence agency in particular has maintained close links to the Taliban, allegedly providing them with technical advice, weapons and supplies.
"But this kind of cooperation could have serious repercussions for the government. It would obviously provoke a furious reaction from religious groups who back the Taliban and who have been relatively quiet up to now. The backlash could go further - many ordinary people say they oppose Pakistan's involvement in what they see as America's problem," reported the BBC.
Despite the pledge of cooperation, Pakistan maintains that at this point there is no evidence linking bin Laden to the attacks, and it would require some proof to help convince Pakistani public opinion before committing itself to any drastic step, said the BBC.
The Pakistani press looked onto the forthcoming co-operation with scrutiny. In an article titled 'Pressure on Islamabad',
The Nation said: "There are two imponderables, which will inevitably come up. First, what exactly will the USA need in terms of cooperation and assistance?" The second, the writer went on to say, was that Pakistan had legitimate concerns about the nature of the intended U.S. action.
"Pakistan also has a right to ask about the evidence on which the USA has based its conclusion that Osama is the prime suspect. At the same time, Pakistan has definite problems in its relationship with the USA, and a country which is under so many sanctions as Pakistan, would certainly like to know why it should go beyond a bare minimum," said
The Nation.
The paper said that although the government has hard choices to make, it must keep the national interest in mind.
Another daily, The Frontier Post, said that the earlier closure of Islamabad's airport could be because military equipment, and possibly troops, are being moved around; for which the airport was required.
"The U.S. is playing its cards close to the chest, understandably since it does not want to prematurely reveal its hand," said the paper.
Lieutenant General Moinuddin Haider told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Saturday, on his arrival in Kuwait that he had "met with [Afghanistan's] Taliban leaders three times to discuss the current crisis and brief them on the world's concerns," following Tuesday's attacks in the United States.
"We are against all forms of terrorism," said Haider, who is on a three-day visit to Kuwait. "It is a state policy to combat terrorism, and we have cooperated, and will continue to cooperate, to fight it."
Meanwhile, referring to the Pakistani government's situation, the Taliban warned that its fighters would retaliate with force if any neighboring country provided assistance to the United States for an attack on Afghanistan, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press reported.
"The possibility of a massive attack by our mujahideen cannot be ruled out if any neighboring country offers its ground or air bases to U.S. forces," the agency quoted a Taliban foreign ministry statement as saying.
"They might be compelled to enter into that country and responsibility for the negative consequences would rest on that country," it said.
The Taliban statement again denied that bin Laden, who has been sheltered by the Afghani group for the past five years, could have been involved in the attacks.
The Afghan opposition's envoy to Iran, Mohammad Kheirkhah, said Saturday he hoped the United States would not attack his country in retaliation for the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington, and that any attack should "spare the people".
"I hope that my country is not the target of an American attack," Kheirkhah told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "But if, in the context of the anti-terrorist battle, the Americans want to do something, let them act only against terrorists, while sparing the people," he said.
Meanwhile, India has handed over "some intelligence inputs" on training camps of groups in the region to the United States, an official who did not want to be identified said Saturday, AFP reported.
"Some intelligence inputs were handed over to FBI officers during the last two days," said an Indian intelligence official, who declined to be identified.
The input consisted of video footage of training camps of groups and intelligence reports on their location in the region, the official said.
He declined to specify whether the information related to camps in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
Media reports said Powell spoke to India's Foreign Minister, Jaswant Singh, late Friday to convey his appreciation for New Delhi's "exceptionally strong" support for Washington's decision to act firmly against terrorism.
|
