Author: B L Kak
Publication: www.dailyexcelsior.com
Date: March 12, 2001
In a significant turn of events,
China has warned Pakistan to stop support to Muslim militancy in the Chinese
province of Xinjiang, formerly known as Sinkiang.
The warning, according to highly-placed
diplomatic sources, has been necessitated by the "involvement" of some
Islamic fundamentalist groups, based in Pakistan, in attempts to aid and
abet Muslim militants in the highly sensitive province of Xinjiang.
The Sino-Pak collaboration in defence
and other areas is universally known. However, Beijing has
conveyed to Islamabad that China's "unconditional" support to Pakistan
on Kashmir dispute can undergo a change if sections of Muslim fundamentalists
in Pakistan were not prevented from extending their support to Muslim militancy
in the Xinjiang province.
China, of course, is a powerful
country enjoying a massive military power and potency. Yet,
it is, one can say without any fear of contradiction, concerned at the
growing Muslim militancy in Xinjiang province.
Naturally, therefore, all the more
reason for a message emanating from Beijing, which warns that mutually
beneficial and cordial exchange of technical expertise between China and
Pakistan can be affected if Islamic extremists based in Pakistan and Afghanistan
continued overt and covert support to Muslim militancy in the Xinjiang
province.
Pakistan's military Government,
diplomatic sources have gathered, has also been warned that Chinese authorities
cannot be expected to be lenient towards "provocative" activities of certain
Pakistani nationals close to the Xinjiang frontier. Beijing's
message to Islamabad has made it plain that China's support to Pakistan
on Kashmir will remain unaffected only if the Pakistan Government fully
ensured that dissidents in the Xinjiang province would not receive any
form of support from anyone in Pakistan.
Islamabad cannot afford to incur
Beijing's displeasure, particularly at a time when China has been found
to be an active supporter of Pakistan, cooperating in the provision and
development of weapons.
Even the known foreign publication,
Jane's Intelligence Review, has hinted at the possibility of a change in
the prevailing relationship between Beijing and Islamabad in the event
of Pakistan-based Islamic extremists getting involved in support of Muslim
militancy in Xinjiang province.
One thing, which has resulted in
a re-assuring effect among the rulers in Islamabad, relates to Beijing's
assurance that China would continue to uphold its defence collaboration
with Pakistan.
At the same time, Pakistan's military
ruler, Gen Parvez Musharraf, has been reported to have called for an increased
domestic production of spare parts and ammunition. And he has
justified his Army's heavy reliance on obtaining Chinese tanks.
Pakistan military leadership has
approved a plan seeking fresh supplies of Chinese tanks, including the
Norinco Type 85, of which more than 400 are in service. Pakistan's
Defence Ministry has already been energised to ensure the supply from Ukraine
of over 300 T-80 UD tanks.
The introduction of newer and rebuilt
tanks by Pakistan military leaders has taken pressure off the Corps of
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, which was having difficulty maintaining
older equipment for front-line use. Norinco Type 85 and T-80
UD tanks reportedly form the major part of strike forces.
There are reports that technology
from the United Kingdom, Sweden and Belgium has resulted in improvement
in advanced tank and artillery ammunition, which is produced in increasing
quantities by Pakistan ordnance factories for domestic use and growing
exports.
While Pakistan has on the one hand
started negotiations with the British Government for continuing the defence
cooperation with Islamabad, Gen Musharraf has, on the other hand, called
for prompt and effective measures for the implementation of the programme
of production of Khalid MBT (Main Battle Tank)
