New Delhi, Jan 22: A peace delegation from
Pakistan on Thursday suggested the military regime in that country might not yet be over yet and singled it out for maintaining close ties with terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba.
The delegation also said the Obama administration in
the US would need the Pakistan military`s help to restore
stability in Afghanistan.
The 23-member delegation comprising journalists, peace
and human rights activists, legislators and scholars arrived
here after crossing over the Indo-Pak border from Wagah
yesterday.
Attending a round table conference here, the delegates
referring to terrorism pointed out that the "monster that was
created has outgrown its inventors".
"We are living in a jail. Our bureaus in the northern
frontier regions are being shut down as they are constantly
under physical vigil by the Pakistan troops," said Editor of
Friday Times and Daily Times Jugnu Mohsin.
Citing that a number of politicians and human rights
activists have been killed or threatened for their stance
against the Pakistan military, delegates sought India`s help
in co-opting the military to the political will of Pakistan.
"The relation between the United States and Pakistan
should also be in a political to political level, rather than
on a political to military level," said Executive Director of
South Asia Free Media Association Imtiaz Alam.
Pointing out that the civilian government is not in loop
of many happenings, Chairperson of the independent Human
Rights Commission of Pakistan Asma Jahangir said there is a
need for making the Pakistan armed forces and its intelligence
wing ISI answerable to the Pakistan parliament.
Bureau Report
