General could face coup: US intelligence

With President Pervez Musharraf commanding little influence over Kashmiri militants and other religious extremists, his Islamist opponents c...

With President Pervez Musharraf commanding little influence over Kashmiri militants and other religious extremists, his Islamist opponents could 8216;8216;instigate8217;8217; a coup or assassination that could result in an 8216;8216;extremist Pakistan,8217;8217; a US intelligence official has warned.

Deposing before a Senate committee on intelligence, Director of US Defence Intelligence Agency, Vice Admiral Lowell E. Jacoby said, 8216;8216;popular hostility to the US is growing and Islamist opponents of the current government could try to instigate a political crisis through violent means. 8216;8216;Coup or assassination could result in an extremist Pakistan,8217;8217; he said.

In his deposition, Jacoby also supported India8217;s contention that cross-border infiltration continued from Pakistan and warned of increasing potential of hostilities breaking out between the two countries 8216;8216;in the wake of some violent triggering event.8217;8217; Musharraf, he said, claims little influence over militants in Kashmir and other religious extremists, and Pakistan does not completely control areas in the northwest where concentrations of Al Qaeda and Taliban remain.

While Pakistan is making progress in its return to functional democracy, the official said, 8216;8216;Musharraf faces significant political and economic challenges and continued Opposition.8217;8217;

On Indo-Pak relations, he said, 8216;8216;With the Kashmir situation still unresolved and with continued cross-border infiltration from Pakistan, the potential for miscalculation between the two countries remains high, especially in the wake of some violent 8216;triggering event8217; such as a spectacular terrorist attack or political assassination.8217;8217;

This is inspite of steps taken by both countries to defuse tensions, after last year8217;s military standoff along the Line of Control, he said. 8216;8216;Both sides retain large forces close to the LoC and continue to develop their weapons of mass destruction and missile programmes,8217;8217; Jacoby said in his presentation on Tuesday.

Jacoby said that Pakistan President pervez Musharraf claims little influence over militants in Kashmir and other religious extremists, and Pakistan does not completely control areas in the northwest where concentrations of Al Qaeda and Taliban remain.