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Pallone belatedly gets into the act,
condemns Musharraf for take over as president

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee may believe in forgiveness, but Frank Pallone certainly does not.

By inviting Pakistan's military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf to India and congratulating him when he anointed himself president, Prime Minister Vajpayee may have bestowed Musharraf with at least a veneer of legitimacy.

But the irrepressible 'Mr India' on Capitol Hill, Democrat Frank Pallone, who represents New Jersey, evidently has no intention on foisting on Musharraf any such credibility.

Pallone, founder and former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, on Friday condemned, though somewhat belatedly, Musharraf's decision to declare himself president and warned that the decision was likely to postpone any effort on the General's part to return Pakistan to civilian rule.

Pallone predicted that Musharraf's June 20 proclamation - that was also condemned by the Bush administration - moves Pakistan further away from the establishment of a democratic government.

According to the lawmaker, judging by Musharraf's past actions, including the dissolving of the national assembly or parliament and four provincial assemblies after his 1999 coup, the reality was just the opposite of what Musharraf had claimed - that his presidential declaration was an initial step towards promoting democracy.

"General Musharraf's abolition of democratic institutions in Pakistan, followed by the self-proclamation of his presidency, is a clear indication of his desire to maintain a dictatorial stronghold in the country," Pallone said.

"General Musharraf's recent decree is indeed as undemocratic as his coup 20 months ago. It is only lip service in regard to democratic rule," he noted.

Pallone pointed out that some analysts predict that Musharraf's new power would allow him to negotiate with a new parliament to remain president for a five-year term. Musharraf had earlier stated he would hold a general election by October 2002.

Pallone also questioned the timing of the proclamation, particularly in view of the upcoming Indo-Pak summit in Agra, where the US Congress and the Bush administration are convinced that the major issue on the agenda would be Kashmir.

"With the landmark India-Pakistan summit approaching, Gen Musharraf's move may be a ploy to garner more negotiating power," Pallone argued.

"As president, Gen Musharraf may now be seen with more credibility in the eyes of the international community at large, regardless of the fact that he, unlike Prime Minister Vajpayee, was never elected by the people of his nation," he said.

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