Author: Our Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: February 13, 2002
Intro: Prime Suspect In Journalist's
Kidnap Held In Lahore; Osama's Former Pilot Also Detained
In a tactical move that is I guaranteed
to give President Pervez Musharraf good press as he flies into Washington
on Tuesday, the Pakistani authorities suddenly cracked the Daniel Pearl
case, by arresting chief suspect Omar Saeed Sheikh. According to agency
reports from Pakistan, the British-born Sheikh was picked up in Lahore
from where he will be taken to Karachi. While Pakistani government representatives
confirmed that Mr. Pearl was still alive, they bad no more details of the
journalist missing for over three weeks now.While the news of the arrest
is expected lo make Gen Musharraf's Washington sojourn smoother,
the slicking points remain in the related facts of the case. According
to a New York Times report, two former ISI officials, Khalid Khawaja and
Aslam Khan Sherani, both suspected of having close ties to jehadi
groups and even the Al Qaeda. "Khawaja, a former air force officer, is
said by Pakistani officials to have once served as a pilot for Osama bin
Laden," while Sherani had imparted arms training to anti-Soviet fighters
in the early nineties.
Omar's arrest has unintended benefits
for India. It is extremely likely that India will set up a clamour for
the return of Omar, who is one of the names on India's list of 20. Until
now. Gen Musharraf had flatly denied that Omar was even in Pakistan. However,
on a more realistic note, it is equally certain that Musharraf will never
hand over Omar to India which might have adverse consequences within Pakistan.
Instead they are more likely to hand him over to the US. Indian agencies
will not be unhappy with this turn of events, because, the CBI will have
an opportunity to interrogate Omar In the US where it has set up office.
But equally, under the agreement between the FBI and CBI, India would.have
full access to the results of an FBI interrogation of Omar Sheikh-it must
be remembered that the probe into the kidnapping in Pakistan is being conducted
by both Pakistani and US teams.
Omar Sheikh's value for the US and
Indian investigating agencies is immense. While the US would like to quiz
him on his links with the WTC attackers, for India his confessions will
immensely aid the investigations into the attacks on Parliament and Kolkata
USIS. According to .Indian agencies, Pakistan had full knowledge of Omar's
whereabouts.
As Gen Musharraf rides into Washington,
he can expect to hear a little more that US platitudes for his support
in the war against terror. While it Is equally likely that Pakistan may
get some exemptions in textile exports to the US, Mr. Bush is also expected
to ask him to get down to some credible concrete action to get terrorism
and Kashmir out of Pakistan's blood.
