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Clinton visit to assist Pak efforts to resolve Kashmir issue

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):

US President Bill Clinton visit would assist Pakistan's efforts to find a peaceful solution of the longstanding Kashmir issue, said foreign affairs experts on Mar. 13.

In a PTV programme, Lt. General Nishat Ahmed said, India's belligerent attitude which has caused fear in South Asia would not help in promoting peace and stability. Nishat said due to increasingly complex situation President Bill Clinton was compelled to visit Pakistan along with India and Bangladesh. India was making efforts for the last two to three months to discourage Clinton from visiting Pakistan and its belligerence was aimed towards minimising Pakistan's importance in the region, he added. He observed Pakistan enjoys great importance in the region and the US policy makers and administration officials were emphasising on Clinton to involve Pakistan to bring down the rising tension in South Asia which can become a nuclear flashpoint. US scholars were encouraging Clinton visit as skipping Pakistan would have gone against the basic policy objective of the United States, he noted. He was of the view that Clinton's visit would have positive impact on efforts to maintain peace in the region and he would impress upon the Indo-Pak leaders to adopt the route of peace and lower the temperature.

He pointed out that Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the one hand was issuing belligerent statements for the public consumption while on the other more calculated and diplomatic statements for foreign media. Eminent scholar Dr. Rafique Ahmed said Pakistan cannot trust India owing to its track record of last 50 years during which it changed stances on issues including core Kashmir issue. India has never accepted the existence of Pakistan and latest statements of Vajpayee show Indian mindset which is dreaming of Akhand Bharat and want to become a regional superpower, he added. He said increase of Indian defence budget by 28 percent which is more than total defence spending of Pakistan cannot be overlooked. But ultimately the increase would be a burden on the poor of India as the country is facing economic problems like fiscal deficit, imbalance in payments and diversion of funds from social projects, Rafique added. He said Indian has shifted the economic burden on the poor who have agitated against the budgetary measures to protest against imposition of unjust taxes. He stressed Pakistan should not try to match Indian in arms but increase its geographic and political depth by further strengthening relations with China, Iran and Central Asian Republics.