(November, 10, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) “Things are not that bad in Pakistan. Musharraf is not that brutal a dictator like Saddam; Dr. Sohail Mahmood, Professor, International Islamic University, Department of Politics & International Relations, Islamabad , Pakistan spoke his mind clearly on Pakistan’s crisis nightmare in an exclusive interview with Sri Lanka Guardian. “Not at all. Obvious disinformation by India, or whoever,” he views on allegations to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been supported to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.We spoke to Dr. Sohali and he freely shared his view with us.
Full text of the Interview,
By: Nilantha Ilangamuwa with Dr. Sohail Mahmood
Q.Could you please
comment for our readers on the political developments in Pakistan? A.Gen. Musharraf has declared emergency rule in Pakistan. Also thousands of people who are against the General’s regime were arrested by the military.
Q.How strong are the people in Pakistan against this?
A.Very strong
Q.How does Pakistan support the Bush Administration in its War against so-called terror?
A.Pakistan is an important ally of the USA in this war
Q.How is this war on terror against the Islamic World?
A.Because it is demonizing Islamic movements as such
Q.George Bush, after speaking to Musharraf on Nov. 7th, said that the uniform and the presidency cannot go together. Do you agree?
A.Yes, I do
Q.How is the Pakistani situation different from the US where Bush is President and Commander-in-Chief.?
A.Bush is a civilian elected to the office of president. Musharraf is an army chief who came to power through a coup in 1999 and became president
Q.Some see parallels between Musharraf and his regime and the fallen President Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq have been drawn. Do you see any validity in these parallels? If so how?
A.No. Things are not that bad in Pakistan. Musharraf is not that brutal a dictator like Saddam.
Q.Others have said that the US used the Shah of Iran and this led to his fall. What are the parallels between the Shah and Musharraf in terms of the US?
A. The USA sees Musharraf as an ally in its Global War on Terror and is supporting him for this. Things are different this time. The parallel with the Shah does not go much distance.
Q.To what extent is Musharraf like a US puppet?
A.He does overly depend upon the USA for support and that is a fact that is undeniable.
Q.What do you feel about the return of former Premier Benazir Bhutto?
A.Good development
Q.Apparently the Swiss courts have convicted her of money laundering. The British government has filed a case regarding a Rockwood Estate she allegedly bought with bribes. These are governments formally commenting on her, not her opposition. How does she still draw crowds?
A.Apparently she does draw crowds because of her father’s legacy
Q.Does she have any credibility as something better?
A.Not much as there is ample anecdotal evidence of corruption against her. But she seems to be a better alternative than Musharraf whose popularity has plummeted in the last few months.
Q.Can she establish a sustainable political democracy in Pakistan with this record?
A.Not much hope really. But still better than a military rule
Q.Some well known analysts have said that Musharraf’s fate is in Bin Laden’s hands. Do you agree or disagree and for what reasons?
A.Bin Laden is an opponent of Musharraf and would like to have him killed. That is for sure. But that is not easy as the president is very well protected. Musharraf might be assassinated by the al Qaeda and its supporters. That much is well-known and can indeed happen. He has survived many assassination attempts so far.
Q.What role can the international community play in conflict resolution in South Asia? Or should these be treated as purely internal matters brooking no foreign interference?
A.Yes, a role as neutral mediators or provide good offices, especially in intractable territorial disputes like Kashmir We are in a globalized world and should not grudge “interference”. The nation-state is not ulitmately sovereign in all respects. That is an ideal
Q.South Asian countries have founded major forums for building up their friendship and co-operation like SAARC and NAM. But all our countries in the region seem to have more confidence in the West than in their neighboring countries. As a result we are seeing the West making the deepest intervention in internal conflicts in the region. Sri Lanka is currently and has been for some time facing this situation. Why can this region not build up friendship for their own interests?
A.Very poor leadership in SAARC that lacks vision and intellectual failure too.
Q.Bolivian President Evo Morales says “We need partners, not Masters”. We are seeing the region of Latin America building up economic and social contacts more among themselves than with other parts of the world. They are against the policies of the West and have offered an alternative vision. Why is South Asia falling behind in unity, cohabitation and other endeavours?
A. Again, very poor leadership and also failure of the academia, intellectual community, and media to visualize a powerful SAARC entity
Q.What in your words is the problem of terrorism in South Asia?
A.Identity politics, extremist religious views, injustice, poverty, alienation. Most importantly, feeling or perceptions of injustice, alienation and identity subjugation.
Q.How do you identify the problem in Sri Lanka?
A. Basically a political problem that needs to be addressed politically and not militarily. Give some sort of concessions to the Tamil minority that would include real autonomy to mange their own affairs. Meanwhile, isolate the Tigers from the larger Tamil community and finish off the leadership only and give general amnesty to the cadres after that. Integrate them through political means and massive development assistance programs to remove abject poverty in their midst that is fueling alienation.
Q.Is it different from the Kashmir problem? How if at all?
A. Kashmir was an integral part of the Islamic homeland for centuries and the Muslims want independence from the Indian yoke. An independent Kashmir which is neither part of India nor Pakistan is the way out. Meanwhile, the sort of concessions suggested for the Tamils, as above, may still work
But overall these two have similarities as they are perceived to be independence movements by many, both within and in the communities outside the region.
Both are essentially political problems that can be solved by political means only. This point is fundamental in both Kashmir and Tamil problems
Q.Some sources say that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, strongly supports the delivery of arms to the LTTE. Also these sources have blamed ISI officers for the recruitment of poor people for the terrorists’ organizations in the region. Is it true?
A. Not at all. Obvious disinformation by India, or whoever.
Q.What do you think about cohabitation between the intelligence agencies in the Region?
A.Yes, good idea. Political will is not there.
Q.Can they work together for the common good? Must they?
A.Yes, but the political will is missing.
Q.Please comment on what you see as the greatest challenge before the peoples of South Asia.
A.Fighting injustice, poverty, despair and terrorism (roughly in this order).
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