DATE=7/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251462
TITLE=PAKISTAN / KASHMIR MILITANTS (L-ONITER)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTAN'S OPPOSITION PARTIES AND KASHMIRI MILITANT
GROUPS ARE CONDEMNING THE OUTCOME OF TALKS IN WASHINGTON BETWEEN
PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF AND PRESIDENT CLINTON ON THE KASHMIR
CONFLICT. THE TWO LEADERS MET SUNDAY AND AGREED TO TAKE
"CONCRETE STEPS" TO EASE ESCALATING TENSIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND
PAKISTAN. AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, WHERE MR. SHARIF'S
OPPONENTS ARE CALLING FOR PROTESTS AGAINST THE PRIME MINISTER'S
POLICY.
TEXT: SENIOR U-S OFFICIALS SAY WASHINGTON BELIEVES THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER SHARIF AND PRESIDENT CLINTON MEANS
PAKISTANI-BACKED GUERRILLAS ARE TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM INDIAN
KASHMIR. THIS HAS BROUGHT MR. SHARIF UNDER FIRE FROM HIS
POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND PAKISTAN-BASED MILITANT GROUPS FIGHTING
IN INDIAN KASHMIR.
AL-BADR IS ONE OF THE GROUPS WHICH ACKNOWLEDGES ITS MUJAHIDIN
[FREEDOM FIGHTERS] HAVE BEEN BATTLING INDIAN TROOPS IN KASHMIR
FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS. SPOKESMAN YABSEEN KHAN SAYS NEITHER
THE UNITED STATES NOR MR. SHARIF'S GOVERNMENT CAN FORCE THEM TO
LEAVE (THE KARGIL AND DRAS AREAS OF) INDIAN KASHMIR.
/// YABSEEN KHAN ACT IN URDU, IN AND FADE UNDER ///
MR. YABSEEN SAYS KASHMIRI GUERRILLAS HAVE CAPTURED INDIAN
TERRITORY ON THEIR OWN, WITHOUT PAKISTAN'S HELP, AND THEY DO NOT
INTEND TO RETREAT -- NO MATTER WHO ASKS THEM TO WITHDRAW.
THERE ARE DOZENS OF MILITANT GROUPS IN PAKISTAN AND IN PAKISTANI
KASHMIR, WHICH INDIA SAYS ARE CONTROLLED BY THE PAKISTANI
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, I-S-I.
PAKISTAN SAYS ITS INTELLIGENCE AGENCY PLAYS NO ROLE IN
CONTROLLING THE GUERRILLAS. A FORMER CHIEF OF THE I-S-I, HAMID
GUL, SAYS THE KASHMIRI MILITANTS WILL DEMONSTRATE THEIR
INDEPENDENCE BY REJECTING THE DEAL THAT MR. SHARIF APPEARS TO
HAVE MADE IN WASHINGTON.
/// FIRST GUL ACT ///
THIS IS THE CULMINATION POINT OF THEIR 10-YEAR-LONG
STRUGGLE [IN KASHMIR]. THEY [THE GUERRILLAS] HAVE LAID A
GREAT MANY SACRIFICES, AND I DO NOT THINK THEY ARE
GOING TO IMPLEMENT WHAT HE [MR. SHARIF] HAS CALLED UPON
THEM TO DO.
/// END ACT ///
MR. GUL SAYS ANY PAKISTANI ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE GUERRILLAS TO
LEAVE INDIAN KASHMIR WOULD BE AN ACT SO POLITICALLY RISKY THAT IT
COULD LEAD TO PRIME MINISTER SHARIF'S DOWNFALL.
/// SECOND GUL ACT ///
THAT IS THE MINIMUM THAT WILL HAPPEN TO NAWAZ SHARIF.
THE MAXIMUM COULD BE ANYTHING. WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST
THAT VERY DANGEROUS THINGS DO HAPPEN. I THINK NAWAZ
SHARIF HAS REALLY DONE HIMSELF A GREAT DIS-SERVICE. HE
HAS DONE A DIS-SERVICE TO THE NATION ALL RIGHT, BUT
HIMSELF ALSO A GREAT DIS-SERVICE.
/// END ACT ///
PRIME MINISTER'S SHARIF'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS
HASTILY ARRANGED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PAKISTANI LEADER -- A
DEVELOPMENT THAT SURPRISED MOST OBSERVERS AND POLITICIANS HERE.
PAKISTAN'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, THE P-P-P, IS CONDEMNING THE
SECRECY SURROUNDING THE "CONCRETE STEPS" MR. SHARIF IS SAID TO
HAVE AGREED TO IN WASHINGTON. THE PARTY WANTS A PARLIAMENTARY
DEBATE ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S KASHMIR POLICY.
THE RIGHT-WING RELIGIOUS JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI PARTY HAS ACCUSED MR.
SHARIF OF TREASON, AND IS CALLING FOR NATIONWIDE PROTESTS.
/// REST OPT ///
MEANWHILE, PAKISTAN'S MILITARY SAYS INDIA HAS INTENSIFIED
SHELLING OF CIVILIAN AREAS IN PAKISTANI KASHMIR, KILLING AND
INJURING DOZENS OF PEOPLE. INDIA SAYS IT WILL KEEP FIGHTING TO
FLUSH OUT PAKISTANI-BACKED FORCES FROM PEAKS ON ITS SIDE OF THE
DISPUTED REGION. (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/WTW
05-Jul-99 4:10 PM EDT (2010 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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