US analyst credits Musharraf for better Indo-Pak ties

Noting that relations between India and Pakistan are better than ever before, a US analyst on Asian affairs has lauded Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf's role in facilitating this.

Washington, May 3 : Noting that relations between India and Pakistan are better than ever before, a US analyst on Asian affairs has lauded Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf's role in facilitating this.

"The relationship with India, I think, is clearly better than it's ever been before and partial credit of that must go to the conducts and policies that President Musharraf has pursued," said Alan Kronstadt of the Congressional Research Institute, Washington.

"The accomplishments of the Musharraf Government are many. Musharraf perhaps, more than any previous Pakistani leader, has articulated quite well a vision of moderate Pakistan, enlightened moderate Pakistan. He has made some moves in that direction," he added.

Kronstadt discussed a recent report on Pakistan and terrorism in the context of US interests, policy goals, and relevant assistance.

According to the report, while US policies toward Pakistan since 9/11 have had a few meaningful successes, they have neither neutralised anti-Western militants and reduced religious extremism in that country, nor have they contributed sufficiently to the stabilisation of neighbouring Afghanistan.

"What we are seeing now in Washington is a growing consensus that there are problems with our current Pakistan policy.

So, the Bush administration's policy, which was pursued consistently for five years now or more since 9/11, has not produced many of the policy goals we set up for ourselves," said Kronstadt.

He added, "Once again, let's look at where we are now five years later. There is a lot of evidence coming out of Pakistan that the Musharraf government is not necessarily being successful in monitoring a successful country.

And there are growing calls for democracy within Pakistan and in the international community. So I think that is one aspect of the problems that is being seen with the administrative policy in terms of encouraging the democracy and... growing scepticism about whether President Musharraf is in fact being successful in moving towards that direction."

He said the United States has become increasingly concerned over Al Qaeda, its Taliban supporters and other Islamist militants finding safe haven in Pakistani cities such as Quetta and Peshawar, as well as in the rugged Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.

In a January 2007, a top American intelligence official had identified Al Qaeda as the single greatest terrorist threat to the United States and its interests, and warned the organization's "core elements maintain active connections and relationships that radiate outward from their leaders' secure hideouts in Pakistan."

"So, in terms of pressure on Taliban, efforts to capture top leaders of Taliban, who are suspected of being in Pakistan territory, these are areas where many observers have felt that the Pakistan government has not been as energetic as it could be," said Kronstadt.

The US relationship with Pakistan has been under intense scrutiny for months because of growing frustration over the strength of the Taliban insurgency.

Musharraf has even threatened to pull out of the alliance against terrorism after persistent questioning of Pakistan's commitment and distrust of its motives.

ANI