The Hindu : Indo-Pak. ties cannot improve under military rule: Benazir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

International

International - India & World

Indo-Pak. ties cannot improve under military rule: Benazir

KATHMANDU JULY 13. The former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, today ruled out any improvement in relations between India and Pakistan if democracy was not restored in Islamabad, saying that extremist forces held sway during military rule.``The relations deteriorated during the military rule,'' she told Indian media. Ms. Bhutto, who is here on a private visit said, "When there is democracy in Pakistan, the relations between the two countries improved. They improved during my premiership.''

The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, could not control the extremists, she said, adding that military rulers worked under the influence of extremists and had no control over them.``I have doubts about his ability to control the extremists. The hardliners play in the military, I myself have had that experience.''There must be democracy in South Asia, otherwise the entire region would be unstable and dangerous, Ms. Bhutto said.``Non-state actors are active in the absence of democracy and there will be violence and murder. There is a threat of terrorism in the absence of democracy... the State becomes dangerous and unstable,'' she said.

``If we want to avoid such a situation, let us build peace and understanding which is only possible in a democracy," the chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party said.

On the resumption of the Delhi-Lahore bus service, she said, "this is a silver lining in the dark and gloomy clouds.''

She said the SAARC progress was very slow because of lack of political understanding.

``It is because of a lack of democracy. We ratified some agreements, there was visa relaxation agreement during my premiership. It could move at a quicker pace to fulfil the expectations of over one billion people. Democracy is the only solution for political understanding.'' About the U.S. support for Gen. Musharraf, she wondered how Washington, which advocated democracy in Iraq, could support dictatorship in Pakistan. She, however, said it was encouraging that the U.S. was calling for democracy in Pakistan.

UNI

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