Pak military would not change its India centric policy: Gul

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Aug 12 (PTI) A former ISI chief credited
with helping in creation of Afghan Taliban, has said his
country's army would not change its India-centric policy,
unless the Kashmir issue is resolved.
"The kind of terrorism which is going on in Pakistan
is due to Kashmir issue," Hamid Gul, the former head of the
Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) who is also believed
to have created Kashmiri militants groups claimed in the CNN's
"Connect the World" programme.
Gul was responding to the question as to why Pak
military remains India centric.
"The second (reason) is because of the wrongful
occupation of Afghanistan, by the allied forces, it's very
wrongful," he argued.
"So I think that proud nation is being really
ravaged which is very wrong. So, this is the root cause –
unless you address the root cause, you are not going to find
the solution, as far as Pakistan's orientation towards India
is concerned that is a reality, and Indians themselves are
making it a reality," Gul claimed.
"This is amazing that India continues to aim at
Pakistan and considers it the enemy – Kashmir dispute is still
going on; Kashmir movement is very much on the boil, and at
this time it is expected that Pakistan should shift forces
from the Eastern border and transfer them to the Western
border – it is not possible, we don't have the resources," he
said.
The former ISI chief told the CNN that the Soviet
occupation was wrong, and so is the American occupation.
"And that Afghan nation will not accept that position,
Afghan nation has never accepted for past 5000 years, they
won't accept it now. So I don't regret it at all, because at
that time the whole world was with us.
"I think then America should be the first to regret
that adventure at that time," he argued.
Gul argued that there can be no peace in Afghanistan
without Mullah Omar.
"I think Mullah Omar has to be spoken to – that's
very important – because without him no settlement in
Afghanistan can take place. He symbolises the national
resistance of Afghanistan against the occupation," he said.
Noting that the US for its operations in Afghanistan
is depended on a long line of communication, the logistic
support is coming through Pakistan.
"And Pakistan is being destabilised by India – their
ally. This is one problem, and you know now the floods have
cut off the lines of communication. Karachi rioting is
creating another problem, so you cannot depend on this
logistical tail.
And the second is the intelligence input. If
Wikileaks is any reflection of the kind of intelligence input
that the American forces are getting, then I can already
conclude what would be the outcome," he said.
The leaks by the website whistleblower Wikileaks had
pointed out that ISI continued to have links with Taliban and
other militant groups fighting US and NATO forces in
Afghanistan. PTI LKJ
MYR