The projected arrival of Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf in India has led to the predictable flurry of hosannas in the Indian media. There are touching stories about the dictator's aged nanny waiting to see him; there is speculation about whether he will visit his ancestors' mansion. An observing Martian would be forgiven for thinking some benign emigrant dignitary were visiting: like, say, Alberto Fujimori (formerly) of Peru visiting the land of his ancestors, Japan.

The impartial Martian would be flabbergasted to realise that this man, instead, is a cold-blooded killer, the architect of Kargil, he who has the blood of hundreds of Indian soldiers on his hands. He is steeped in the Deobandi-Wah'abi mythology of the cunning 'Hindu bania' and his mentors include Hamid Gul, theoretician of the ISI and godfather of the Taleban, which consists of Pakistan-trained men, including Pakistani soldiers in disguise.

This is no benign visitor: unlike in Fujimori's case, where Japan is decidedly not at war with Peru, Musharraf's Pakistan is indulging in undeclared war with India; that is what a low-intensity conflict is. Pakistan has no self-image other than as 'not-India'; its holy warriors frequently declare their desire to take over not only Kashmir, but all of India.

rest of the article is at http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jun/18rajeev.htm

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