In a move that’s eagerly awaited around the world, Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf will address the nation tomorrow to outline his policy on the military stand-off with India at the border. This was announced here today by a government spokesman. Ignoring the international community’s strong disapproval, Pakistan today conducted its second missile test in as many days. According to an official statement, the missile tested today was a newly-developed short-range HATF-III, also known as Ghaznavi, that can carry nuclear warheads upto 290 km. Washing Ton of bricks GEORGE BUSH: Musharraf must show results, stopping terrorism more important than missile testing CONDOLEEZA RICE, National Security Advisor: Indians behaving in statesman-like manner COLIN POWELL, Secretary of State: We are looking for evidence that infiltration across Line of Control has stopped, I’m not satisfied HIZBUL MUJAHIDEEN: Pak shouldn’t bow to foreign pressure, Kashmiris will sacrifice their lives for security of Pakistan ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE: We should have given a fitting reply the day Parliament was attacked There is speculation in the Pakistani media that Musharraf, in his address over state television and radio at 8 pm (IST) tomorrow, may announce a major policy shift to rein in militants, as demanded by India and the US. A local daily reported that Musharraf, under pressure from the international community, has directed the law ministry to bring about radical changes in the Anti-Terrorist Act, 1997. The News, which reported yesterday that Musharraf and his senior Army commanders proposed sweeping measures to contain militan infiltration to India, said the amendments would ensure that suspected religious terrorists under detention were not released easily. Musharraf admitted in an interview to The Washington Post that he was struggling to compose an important speech to deliver on national television. What the message of the speech should be, he said, was ‘‘an important question. It has to be — we want to avoid war. We want to bring peace into the region. So, therefore, the message is to be addressed to the outside world. The message has to be addressed to India. The message has to be addressed to my own people.’’ That the General is seeking support at home became obvious when the official media today announced that he has asked Information Minister Nisar Memon to persuade political parties, including those of exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, to meet him. The country’s main political grouping — the 15-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) that includes Bhutto’s PPP and Sharif’s PML — and an alliance of Islamic parties had boycotted a meeting Musharraf held with politicians last week to consult them on how to tackle the row with India. Meanwhile, President George W. Bush has expressed ‘‘strong reservations’’ about Pakistan’s latest missile tests while Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed ‘‘regrets’’. ‘‘As you know, we have expressed strong reservations about the tests,’’ Bush told reporters in St. Petersburg, where he was on the last day of a summit visit. ‘‘Obviously, we hope that there is restraint and that (the missile tests) will not be viewed as a provocation.’’ He added: ‘‘Everyone can understand the danger in the region. We are hopeful that slowly, but surely, we can erode that distrust.we just have to continue to work on the problem.’’ Both Putin and Bush continued to put pressure on Musharraf to stop cross-border terrorism. ‘‘We are deeply concerned about the rhetoric. It is very important for President Musharraf to do what he said he’s going to do on terror, and that is stop the incursions across the line,’’ said Bush. White House officials said US Secretary of State Colin Powell was working ‘‘very hard’’ with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov to help defuse the crisis, though they refused to divulge details. Commenting on President Putin’s readiness to broker a peace deal at his proposed bilateral meetings in Almaty with the Vajpayee and Musharraf in the first week of June, Russian foreign ministry sources underlined that the ‘‘stated Russian stand’’ should be the foundation of such a deal. ‘‘Islamabad should put an end to cross-border attacks against India, dismantle the terrorist network on its soil and the territories it controls in order to create a conducive atmosphere for holding a direct political dialogue wit India on all contentious issues, including Kashmir,’’ said Russian foreign office sources. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Safonov, who is in charge of international anti-terror co-operation in the ministry, is scheduled to reach Islamabad for talks with the Pakistani leadership.
