Search the Internet          Tips

Musharraf blindsides Vajpayee with media blitz

In an early morning development, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said that Kashmir remains central to the Indo-Pakistan dispute and until it is resolved, talks on other issues such as economic cooperation and confidence-building measures are pointless.

Asked if he was willing to give a commitment on Pakistan not encouraging violence in Kashmir, Musharraf said, "We are not encouraging violence there. It is an indigenous freedom struggle."

With these statements, made in course of a breakfast meeting with senior editors of Indian media organisations, Musharraf was seen to have scored points in a game of oneupmanship with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The statements, made just ahead of his scheduled third, and final, meeting with Prime Minister Vajpayee, had the assembled editors disagreeing about the implications.

Chandan Mitra, editor of Pioneer, said that the General took a "hard position, reiterating Pakistan's stated position" on Kashmir.

Referring to the four-step formula that Musharraf referred to in course of his talk, Mitra pointed out that Musharraf was adamant that until step two -- namely, recognizing Kashmir as the key issue between the two sides -- happens, there cannot be any forward movement in bilateral relations.

Times of India editor Dileep Padgaonkar for his part characterised Musharraf as being "extremely tentative" and seemingly not ready to "preempt the summit".

"He was trying to be as flexible as he can," Padgaonkar said, adding that the General was "always upfront, he is not a diplomat. He comes across as very forceful, a very good communicator."

M J Akbar, editor of the Asian Age, said that indications were that there would be some forward movement. He said that Pakistan was forced to issue a statement late last night because they felt that "a responsible minister", Ms Sushma Swaraj, did not even mention while she was giving a statement about the summit.

"Musharraf had Kashmir for a breakfast," said another editor, who attended the breakfast meeting.

Sources indicate that the Indian government is now attempting to formulate an adequate "counter media blitz."

Editors present at the meeting felt that "Musharraf was addressing the Pakistanis back home, more than the Indians here."

And the immediate provocation, seemingly, was a television interview given by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj, wherein she said that Vajpayee and Musharraf had discussed cross-border terrorism, trade relations and even Indian PoWs in Pakistan jails, during their first one on one meeting on Sunday morning, but had omitted all mention of Kashmir.

The Pakistan government immediately swung into action to counter Swaraj's statement, with Press Information Officer Ashfaq Ahmed Gondal issuing a strongly-worded statement that the two leaders had certainly discussed the issue of Kashmir.

The Pakistan contingent believes that this morning, they again scored valuable points in the media war. Musharraf, it is felt, came up with a masterstroke when he used the breakfast meeting with senior editors as a press conference, and made his stand public before Vajpayee could spell out his own stand.

"It was fast and it was very clear. Kashmir, Kashmir and Kashmir is his agenda," said the editor of a political weekly who was present at the breakfast meeting.

Musharraf's statements were clearly planned for maximum impact, including its relay on television. PTV got exclusive coverage rights, and thanks to the fact that NDTV has a business tieup with PTV, the Star News channel got the exclusive scoop. And, in the process, scored points over rival Aaj Tak, which has a similar tieup with Doordarshan.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report