Musharraf should accept Indian invitation for talks: Report

ISLAMABAD, May 24: Pakistan should accept Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s invitation to visit New Delhi as it appeared to be a "proverbial ray of light at the end of a long dark tunnel," a newspaper said today.

"Pakistan must, nevertheless, jump at this opportunity and accept the invitation Gen Musharraf has been saying for months; Talks anywhere, any time, any place. At the same time our Government also needs to examine the latest development from every angle. It must ensure that talks are meaningful and substantial," the `News Today’ newspaper said in an editorial.

However, the daily said, the Indian decision implied that India has been forced to come to terms with ground reality in Kashmir.

"It is a breakthrough of sorts but also breakdown of the Indian policy, reflected in the scrapping of the six-month-old ceasefire in Kashmir," it said

"By inviting Pakistan’s military ruler Gen. Musharraf for talks, the Vajpayee Government has in a way broken the self-imposed impasse created after Kargil. India has admitted albeit implicitly, that it can not proceed an inch forward to resolve the Kashmir issue without involving Pakistan," the daily said.

The editorial said, "it will all depend on what the agenda of the talks will be, how much of diplomatic wrangling would ensue, how many weeks or months will be taken up for an agreed framework for these talks. Talking about what to talk may bring this whole initiative to naught."

"The obduracy of the Indian attitude has apparently cracked. Yet, Islamabad must grasp the initiative now and employ all its energies to find some ground to move forward. It is as much imperative for Pakistan as it is for india, that any chance to make progress is not squandered," `The News Today’ said.

Another newspaper ‘The Nation’ said the invitation was the first opportunity for a structured talks between the two countries since the visit of late Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Shimla to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after the 1972 Indo-Pakistan war, ‘The Nation’ said.

Though a few meetings took place between PMs of both the countries in international fora like SAARC and UN, it was Vajpayee’s bus diplomacy to lahore that paved the way for some kind of structured talks with the Sharif regime.

"In a way the Indian invitation is a kind of delayed post-war Kargil which was not a war but it was at least a battle, the closest the two countries had come to a full-fledged conflict since 1971. It remains to be seen how Musharraf handles the challenge , which is the greatest of his career," it said.

"Also it should be seen how Gen. Musharraf approaches the talks as he brought back Kashmir to the centerstage of India-Pak talks, reversing the Sharif- I K Gujral approach which was aimed at simultaneous talks on various contentions issues," The Nation newspaper said.

"If India had not expressed its willingness to talk on Kashmir, then Gen. Musharraf might not be able to accept the invitation," it said.

"Vajpayee’s invitation actually implies a return to the multi-issue, simultaneous, approach that Nawaz and Gujral had evolved. However, Vajpayee is a seasoned politician and takes the Kashmir issue seriously.

"He has not so far shown the kind of immaturity that would lead him to offer talks meaninglessly, just to score debating points. He is apparently trying to tread a cautious line between making substantial progress, and keeping domestic opinion satisfied," the daily said.

"At the same time, there is a question mark over what kind of results the talks might lead to. Obviously, such a major initiative would be a damp squib if it merely ended in agreeing to ‘talk about talks’, as has happened in the past."

The Musharraf Government would be making a mistake if it sent the military ruler to Delhi in a triumphalist mood of having forced the Indians to their knees," it said.

It is indeed the biggest challenge, not just for Musharraf, but perhaps for any Pakistani leader since Bhutto went to Simla, the paper added. (PTI)

Talks inconclusive, emissary to fly back to Delhi

BANGKOK, May 24: Crucial talks between Prime Minister A B Vajpayee’s emissary and the underground NSCN (I-M) faction remained inconclusive today, after both sides expressed ‘substantive’ differences on the issue of extending coverage of ceasefire beyond Nagaland.

The two sides have decided not to meet today.

"The talks remain inconclusive." Emissary K Padmanabiah, told PTI adding he had to get back to the Government and discuss the matter further with the joint group looking into this issue.

"We gave them a draft, and they gave us a draft... We wanted to reconcile both drafts but there are substantive differences and the issue can’t be sorted out today," Padmanabaih said.

After two days of talks yesterday, both the sides had indicated that a short round of talks could be held this morning.

NSCN (I-M) general secretary T Muivah said they had given their views and they would not change. He said if their views were not accepted by the Government then the "consequences will be different."

He said that "things will go smooth" if the Government decided to accept their demands.

Padmanabaiah said the differences centred around the extension of the coverage of ceasefire. He said the Government had to take into account the concerns of other states and allay their fears, before taking a decision.

Yesterday, the emissary had noted that in principle the Government agreed with the NSCN (I-M) on the ceasefire issue but "there were operational issues involved in extending the ceasefire which were creating problems".

Muivah, who represented nscn faction at the talks, said unless the ceasefire coverage issue was not made clear, "it is meaningless to hold talks."

"NSCN (I-M) feels the Government has not honoured its promise of extending the ceasefire to all Naga inhabited areas," he said.

Asked if the NSCN was going to honour the ceasefire agreement which expires in July, Muivah said "it is likely to be over, not necessarily immediately.

He said that they could break away from the ceasefire agreement anytime. "If the Government forces attack us, we will retaliate, there will be war".

"It is a war imposed on us," he added.

"There are major problems on the coverage issue... There are vast differences and we feel betrayed by India for not honouring its promises," he had told reporters yesterday. (PTI)

Food fad restores pride to run-down Pakistan street

LAHORE, (PAKISTAN), May 24: Once it was a dirty congested little street that left some residents embarrassed to give out their addresses.

Today, food street in Gowalmandi (Milkman’s Colony) is the trendiest hangout in Lahore — the cultural capital of Pakistan — and a magnet for residents and visitors alike.

It is the product of a rare partnership between Government and residents over, if the joke is to be believed, the favourite pastime of Lahorites — eating.

"This idea is totally unique, this is typically Lahorite," enthuses Sidra Bukhari, a former resident who now lives in Denmark. "we are known to be great eaters, we live to eat and this proves it."

Food street’s more than 70 restaurants, which have mushroomed since last October, are Pakistan’s answer to street-side cafes in Europe — but without alcohol, banned in Islamic Pakistan.

They serve sizzling spicy local cuisine to the likes of Pakistan’s military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan and former cricket superstar Imran Khan.

Other patrons include the Ambassadors of the United States, Canada, France, Turkey, Iraq and Iran and even of rival India.

"You get to see something like this in summers in paris but even that is typically not about eating but just chilling out," says Bukhari, a student in copenhagen.

The narrow alley used to be lined with partly defaced, multi-storey houses built in the first half of the 19th century but a private citizens committee, with donations and Government help, has restored its pre-independence architecture.

The Government and civic authorities gave official backing for the project, taking care of sanitation and other facilities. They closed the street to vehicles, enabling restaurants to put out tables and chairs, and told police to ensure that no violence takes place there.

The street has a dreamy atmosphere.

Subtle multi-coloured lighting highlights intricate hand-carved wooden window panels on one side of the street and similar floral engravings in cement on the other side.

Most residents are Muslim migrants from Amritsar, in India’s western Punjab province. They moved into the homes Hindus abandoned during the bloody partition of the sub-continent into India and Pakistan on Britain’s withdrawal in 1947.

Some house entrances are still adorned with small statues of Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god believed to vanquish all obstacles.

The community — almost all Kashmiris and Arains, a sub-caste of Punjabis — had lived quietly since arriving a half century ago in their lower middle class neighbourhood.

Last year, the partnership between Government and residents turned it into an alley where families can freely stroll —without being stared at — and sit eating.

The transformation was so rapid that the city’s rich, who used to express disdain for Gowalmandi, now throng there.

The menu ranges from typical Pakistani barbecue, to Nihari (meat curry, a speciality brought from New Delhi) and Harisa (meat curry differently prepared with salt and black pepper) brought from Amritsar.

"Every day we see people, who are elites, or ordinary people rubbing shoulders with each other," says Kamran Lashari, a senior Government official who overcame bureaucratic inertia to become the driving force behind the food street idea.

"There is no distinction on the basis of sex, class, income - e they all merge as one society," he adds proudly.

Lashari, once a senior city administrator, and a group of prominent citizens are so delighted by the success they want to create another such street.

One location being considered is a street in the smart Gulberg area lined with expensive restaurants and foreign food chains such as pizza hut.

It will have a tough act to follow.

Sarah, another Lahore resident now living in Saudi Arabia, drove from one of Lahore’s smartest and most expensive localities to Gowalmandi to tuck into chicken tikka.

"You find families here," says Sarah. "Look at the buildings, they are looking so nice. This place is old, it has culture and that is something that attracts people from all over the world... It is simply amazing."

Behind Sarah, "Chhotays", or young male waiters, run on quick feet serving piping hot nans, flat unleavened bread, to some tables, steaming hot dishes of curry to others.

"For Lahorites, food is enough of a reason to go to a place but for somebody from outside, this place is something that one would like to return to. There is something about this place," says Khalid, a visitor from Saudi Arabia, amid the cacophony of music blaring from the restaurants. (REUTERS)

Gun battle rages in Middle East despite ceasefire

JERUSALEM, May 24: Despite a unilateral ceasefire by Tel Aviv, bloody clashes rage on in the Middle East killing an Israeli civilian and injuring 45 Palestinians, including 25 children, even as Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat urged US President George W Bush to intervene personally to end the eight-month-old conflict.

Reports from Gaza, quoting Palestinian officials, said 45 people, 25 among them children, were injured in an Israeli shelling at the Rafah Refugee Camp in southern Gaza Strip since yesterday.

They also said Isralei forces intruded into the Palestinian controlled territory in three places.

Israel has also hurled counter charges of its troops coming under relentless Palestinian fire and anti-tank grenade attack.

Israeli tanks fired shells at a Palestinian residential area in the Gaza Strip and blocked a main road to Palestinian traffic in retaliation to the firing of two mortar shells at a Jewish settlement of Netzarim today, eyewitnesses said. The tanks withdrew after about half an hour and the road was reopened.

An Israeli civilian guard was killed in West Bank while two were injured in Palestinian firing.

Bush talked to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Arafat yesterday and urged both sides to put an end to the bloody clashes and implement Mitchell Commission recommendation to end the conflict. Both sides agreed to evolve a framework for implementing the recommendations.

During his talks with Bush, Arafat urged him to take personal interest to complete the peace process started by his father, George Bush senior, reports from Gaza said.

He also called for convening of a new summit to find a mechanism to implement Mitchell panel recommendations.

On Tuesday Israel ordered its Army to cease all offensive actions against Palestinians, but ruled out a total freeze on settlement activities, prompting angry reactions from the Palestinian authority which dismissed the ceasefire.

The ceasefire allows soldiers to fire in case lives are endangered, to rescue civilians or soldiers, in direct reaction if the precise source of fire was identified and in special cases involving Israeli troops entry into pa-controlled areas that requires special permission.

Palestinians also alleged that Sharon was picking and choosing the recommendations and demanded their implementation in its entirety without either side being able to choose from them.

Both Israelis and Palestinians have accepted the Mitchell report. Among its recommendations, the panel has called on Palestinians to jail terrorists operating from its territories and asked Israel to halt all settlement activities, including the "natural growth" of existing ones that Sharon has said would not be halted. (PTI)

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