US not in contact with Benazir or Nawaz: Cohen

The Bush Administration says that neither Benazir Bhutto or Nawaz Sharif, Pakistans two mainstream opposition leaders, have been contacted.

Washington, May 15 : The Bush Administration says that neither Benazir Bhutto or Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's two mainstream opposition leaders, have been contacted.

Leading South Asia expert Stephen Cohen told 'India Abroad' that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is playing one against the other, offering to share power and then withholding it.

"It's going to come down to whoever goes to the streets and what happens in the streets of Pakistan. That could happen in either the presidential election or the general election," he was quoted by the Daily Times, as saying.

Musharraf is a problem solver, but is not good at dealing with details and attention to details, Cohen said, adding that Musharraf believes that he has a mission to bring about major, fundamental changes.

"Kargil was his attempt to do something about Kashmir but it was done totally incompetently," Cohen said.

Cohen said the political structure in Pakistan has to be rebuilt because the military is not competent to govern the country.

ANI