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Junior officers tried to kill me: Musharraf

* President denies involvement of senior military officers
* Says trial of arrested people will start soon
* Personal relationship with Vajpayee is not the force behind peace
* Denies giving date for hanging up uniform

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday made a startling disclosure that “junior Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officers” had made one of the attempts on his life in December 2003.

At a TV talk show, President Musharraf said, “Well there are some junior-level people in uniform, but they are very small. These personnel of the armed forces will be tried in a military court and it will be an open trial.”

Referring to the two attempts on his life, the president said some more people in the armed forces were under watch and might be picked up if their involvement in the attack was proved. “No senior officers were involved in the assassination bid. We have investigated everything and know exactly who is involved. We know the entire picture of both the actions and exact names. We know their faces, their identities and their families. We know everything,” he added.

On December 14, 2003, a bridge in Rawalpindi was blown up soon after the president’s motorcade had passed over it and in another attempt in the same area on December 25, 2003, two suicide attacks were made on him when two explosive-laden vehicles tried to ram his car. More than 50 people were killed in the second attempt. He said the explosives used in the attack were taken from the tribal areas to Multan and then brought to Islamabad. He said the government knew exactly how the two attacks on him were planned and executed. “Those who are directly involved are under arrest and we are watching those who are indirectly involved. They will be picked up, if they have a direct connection,” he said.

The president said the mastermind behind these attacks had also been identified. “He is a Pakistani and is at large. He thought of the idea and then planned it. We will get him,” he said.

When President Musharraf was asked whether he knew who the mastermind was and would he like to disclose anything about him, he said, “I think that will be compromising a lot. We know exactly who he is.”

To a question whether it was an “in-house” job involving someone associated with the state apparatus, he said, “Well there are some people in uniform.” He agreed that these people were directly linked to the first assassination attempt on him but denied that they were also involved in the second attempt.

President Musharraf categorically ruled out any involvement of senior military officers. “No, not at all. Two-hundred percent sure, because we have unearthed everything. Those who are directly involved are under arrest and we are watching those who are indirectly involved,” the president said, confirming that these people were extremists.

“They are extremists involved in extremist religious activity or having affiliations with religious organisations. That is not allowed in the forces, so this is also punishable. The joining of any organisation by armed forces personnel, going for religious indoctrination or even religious training or accepting guerrilla training is absolutely against all military laws,” he said, adding that those who were involved in the operations had been arrested and their trial would begin very soon.

Speaking on India-Pakistan relations, the president said he would like to talk to former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, he did not make any comment on Mr Vajpayee’s defeat, saying it was India’s internal dynamics. “I wouldn’t like to say that I was sorry or happy. I hope and expect that this peace process keeps moving forward in the interest of the two countries. So I wouldn’t like to say that I’m sorry or happy over Mr Vajpayee’s defeat.”

President Musharraf said his personal relationship with former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was not the driving force behind the India-Pakistan peace process.

“We (Vajpayee and he) had a terrible relationship in the beginning and suddenly there was a breakthrough at Agra and everything was very nice, milk and honey, very good. But we fell again and there was tension and then we again got together. So I guess these are the ups and downs of ground realities.” President Musharraf said he had told Mr Vajpayee that the only logical way of handling the situation was to start the dialogue process, accept all issues including the core issue of Kashmir, get together and eliminate whatever was unacceptable to India, Pakistan and Kashmiris and find out a solution acceptable to all three parties.

“We had reached an agreement in the form of a joint statement saying we needed to resolve all issue including Jammu and Kashmir to bring peace and harmony between the two countries. We have committees on all issues including Kashmir. We need to immediately sit down and talk on how to resolve the issue and we must involve Kashmiris in this process. We can’t reach decisions over the heads of Kashmiris,” he added.

When reminded of Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh’s interview in which he had said that the Simla agreement would form the “bedrock” of India-Pakistan relations, the president said, “Well, I believe I am a very pragmatic person. I believe in ground realities. Every agreement is interpreted differently by different people and different governments. If he means that there will be no movement or a status quo decision, well I beg to totally differ with him. That is not the solution, if the Line of Control is to be made permanent and that is all, this is not the solution. If he means we will go by the Simla agreement, then I don’t agree with him. But if he means that we need to address the Kashmir issue and solve it through dialogue, then we will follow the Simla agreement.”

He said he was optimistic about working with the Congress-led government on the peace process. “Sonia Gandhi has always been in favour of dialogue with Pakistan and resolution of disputes and harmonious relations with Pakistan. I have spoken to her and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. I must say that the Indian prime minister was extremely positive towards a dialogue process, resolution of disputes and harmonious relations between the two countries for the sake of Pakistanis. He is an economist and he believes in the economy doing well for the people of both countries,” the president added.

But he said all this could only happen if political disputes between both countries were resolved. “I’m very reasonably sure that there won’t be any problem initiating dialogue. Now when we come to solutions, I will say that there is going to be a problem not only for India but even for me and for the Pakistani government because there are extremists on both sides who take extremist positions. If you are rigidly following your positions, you are not going to reach a solution. So when you try to compromise through give and take, you are going to have an extremist (reaction). That’s where boldness and courage is required. Both sides should show boldness and courage,” he said.

Asked if Ms Gandhi had also invited him to India, the president said, “No.” Asked if he was hoping to visit India at some point after the foreign minister-level talks, he said, “Well, I don’t have any problems with whether the Indian prime minister or Sonia Gandhi visits Pakistan or I go there or the Pakistani prime minister goes there. There is no problem at all. I will love to go to India if there is some purpose being served.”

NNI adds: President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday denied announcing a date when he who would take off his uniform and said the decision would be taken at an appropriate time in the best interest of the country.

In an interview with a TV channel, he said that the MMA had promised to give him a vote of confidence in the National Assembly but it fell back on its pledge and therefore it was unfair of the MMA expect others to keep their promises.

“We will settle the uniform issue when the time comes. I will decide in the country’s interest. We will try to take a correct decision,” he added.

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