Ceasefire -- to extend or not to extend is the question

Ceasefire -- to extend or not to extend is the question
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 18: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today virtually ruled out the resumption of the stalled Indo-Pak dialogue and blamed Pakistan and Pakistan-based militant organisations for ``vitiating'' the atmosphere.

For the first time, he also injected a note of pessimism in his comment on the utility of the ceasefire in the Valley, saying ``the continuation of terrorist activities in and outside the State shows that the purpose of our taking unilateral initiatives is not being fulfilled''. He mentioned the ceasefire as one such confidence-building measure to create a conducive atmosphere for talks.

The Prime Minister's strong words came in a statement issued from Udupi where he is on tour. ``The recent spurt in terrorist violence unleashed by Pakistan-based militant organisations has vitiated the atmosphere for resumption of talks between India and Pakistan,'' he asserted. ``The onus of creating a positive atmosphere for bilateral talks rests clearly with Pakistan.''

With the ceasefire due for a second extension on January 26, Vajpayee's critical tone today is a warning that the Government may be forced to do a rethink on its peace initiative unless Pakistan backs down and restrains the militants.

On the face of it, the Government is sending out conflicting signals, given that the Army Chief only recently called for the ceasefire to be extended and the Ministry of External Affairs offered to resume the composite dialogue with Pakistan. The blow-hot-blow-cold approach, however, seems to be the strategy both India and Pakistan have decided to adopt in their battle of nerves for the supremacy of their respective positions when they finally sit across the table to talk.

At the same time, the Government is coming under pressure from the hawks in the BJP as well as J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah who seems to be pursuing his own agenda in the State. Today, he debunked the ceasefire by describing it as ``meaningless''. He also virtually admitted that he had asked Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani during his meetings with them this morning not to extend it.

`` I have presented my views to the central leaders on the ceasefire issue. Borders have become silent but infiltration continues and militants target nationalist forces,'' he told correspondents.

Yesterday, the BJP had also urged the Government to make a ``serious assessment'' of the security environment before extending the ceasefire.

A simultaneous development which the Government is assessing carefully is the postponement of today's meeting of the Hurriyat Executive Council which was to meet in Srinagar to discuss its delegation's proposed visit to Pakistan and India's refusal to issue passports to some of the team members named last week.

The postponement follows a luncheon between Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi in Delhi on Monday. There are indications that Qazi advised Geelani that the Hurriyat should put off its Islamabad trip for the time being and lie low till temperatures cool down.

Subsequently, Geelani's aides indicated to media correspondents that the Hurriyat leader may not to go Pakistan because of ill health. Today, the speculation about Geelani dropping out was hotly denied by a Hurriyat spokesman who said he would go to Islamabad if the Indian Government gave him the necessary travel documents.