What Will He Say In His Pak Address: Curiosity Builds Up

CONSIDERABLE CURIOSITY is building up over President Clinton's planned televised address to the people of Pakistan when he breaks journey on his way back home on March 25.

The address will follow his meetings with President Mohammad Rasiq Tarar and Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf. The contents of the address should not, therefore, surprise his Pakistani interlocutors but, as US National Security Adviser Sandy Berger has indicated, the address will be delivered directly to the people of Pakistan, our long-time friends, about our hopes for Pakistan and our concerns about its future.

The address to the people will obviously be an extraordinary event since Mr Clinton will be speaking publicly about Washington's hopes and concerns about the country.

 

The very fact that he will speak directly to the long-time friends should imply that the US is separating the people of Pakistan from their present-day rulers unless the address turns out to be an apology for the military ruler, which is not indicated.

Viewed against the backdrop of the recent US misgivings about the way the Pakistan has been behaving, the concerns are, however, easily identifiable, beginning with the summer 1999 Kargil incursions by violating the Line of Control.

The withdrawal of the Army from Indian land following a defeat at the hands of the Indian Army and President Clinton's July 4 1999 intervention, succeeded by the Oct.12 military coup ousting the elected Nawaz Sharif Government, caused convulsions in the body politic, which are still reverberating.

The other concerns are the defiant sanctuary provided to the hijackers of IC-814, the uncontrolled growth of terrorist groups,the close Pakistan-Taliban collaboration in promoting Islamic fundamentalism and the continuing cross-border terrorism raising tensions between the neuclearised India and Pakistan. Seen against this background, the Clinton agenda in Pakistan should primarily be a candid call to restore democracy and the rule of law.

It is important to note that Washington has mentioned repeatedly its readiness to help Pakistan restore democracy, apart from the reiteration of its demand, as indeed by the international community, that Gen. Musharraf should declare a time-frame for doing so.