Zardari leans on Bhutto clan to be heard

BY SANJAY BASAK

New York

Sept. 26: Pakistani Premier Asif Ali Zardari leaned on the Bhutto clan to make his presence felt at the world stage on Thursday.

At the same time, he signalled his domestic gallery by describing Kashmir as "core issue". However, it was just a passing reference and Mr Zardari did not give any indication of being overtly hawkish over it at this juncture.

Addressing the 63rd United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, he merely said that "we will continue the composite dialogue with India so that our outstanding disputes are resolved. Whether it is the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir or cooperation on water resources, India and Pakistan must accommodate each other’s concerns and interests."

However, the speech was aimed at telling the international community that he stood on the Pakistan stage on behalf of his slain, martyred wife, "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, a victim of terrorism", and that he was "representing a nation that is a victim of terrorism". He sought an UN investigation "into the murder" of Benazir. "A UN investigation into the murder of their leader would reassure the people of Pakistan that the international community cares about them, that the UN’s charter of justice is more than rhetoric. We owe it to her. We owe it to history."

Mr Zardari charged, "If the President of a country and his children cannot get justice through the United Nations, how would the poor and the dispossessed around the world find reassurance that the UN is capable of protecting the weak and the suffering?"

Leaning on the Bhutto dynasty to rule Pakistan, he said that "the Bhutto Doctrine of Reconciliation is a roadmap not only to a new Pakistan, but to a new era of peace and cooperation between the East and West, between people of all faiths, a roadmap that if followed, will avoid the clash of civilisations and clash of religions that is the terrorists’ ultimate goal".

He then took on the terrorists outfits by saying that "if the Al Qaeda and Taliban believed that by silencing Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto they were silencing her message, they were very wrong." Stressing the need to combat terrorism, Mr Zardari said, "We have picked up the torch and will fight against terrorists who attack us who use our territory to plan attacks."