Pakistan's Choice

[David Morris]

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/18/opinion/18HAQQ.html

September 18, 2001

Pakistan's Choice
By HUSAIN HAQQANI

A specific operation against Afghanistan or Mr. bin Laden would not suffice 
to eliminate, or even sufficiently limit, terrorism. The United States must 
be prepared for a longer war. Pakistan should certainly be enrolled as an 
ally, but not without an appreciation of realities in that country. Pakistan 
can provide valuable intelligence on Osama bin Laden and other terrorists. 
It has not actively supported American action against Mr. bin Laden in the 
past, arguing that local Muslim militants would destabilize an already weak 
Pakistani state. But Pakistan's leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, recently said 
that fewer than 1 percent of the Pakistani people support the extremists. 
Ordinary Pakistanis want extremism eliminated. It has brought only misery.

Pakistan has itself been the target of terrorism in recent years. But the 
country's Islamic militants have been ignored by the military regime on 
grounds of supporting their fight against Indian control of the Himalayan 
territory of Kashmir. Pakistan describes these militants as freedom 
fighters.

In return for supporting the United States in any operation against 
Afghanistan, Pakistan would expect American backing in encouraging dialogue 
with India over Kashmir. General Musharraf will seek American indulgence of 
his deviation from democracy on grounds that he plans to act against Islamic 
extremists. But the United States must not give up on Pakistani democracy 
and should seek to build friendship with Pakistan's people — the 99 percent 
who oppose terrorism — and not merely with its military leader. It may be 
tempting to deal with an individual for immediate gains, but this approach 
is fraught with danger. The United States counted on General Zia and his 
intelligence services during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, only to 
find Osama bin Laden and his suicide bombers in the shadows of that covert 
war.

Pakistan's level of commitment to the antiterrorist coalition currently 
being put together by the United States could have profound implications for 
India-Pakistan relations. In recent months, there has been a perceptible 
American tilt in favor of India. If Pakistan fails to join the American 
campaign, India will benefit by isolating Pakistan. As the United States 
turns to Pakistan to eliminate terrorism, it should help Islamabad negotiate 
with India over the status of Kashmir, which has been critical in Pakistan's 
policy of supporting the Taliban and jihad extremism. With India and 
Pakistan on the same side, against terrorism, this is a historic opportunity 
to set aside prejudices of the past.

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Husain Haqqani is a political analyst. He served as Pakistan's ambassador to 
Sri Lanka and as adviser to Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto.

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