Gul pleads for Pak-Iran-Afghan strategic alliance

ISLAMABAD (NNI): Former Chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Hameed Gul has pleaded for establishing of a strategic and economic alliance among Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

In an interview with IRNA in Rawalpindi, Gul said the tripartite commission will resolve mutual strategic and economic problems and also help reconstruct Afghanistan.

He said that both Pakistan and Iran would suffer more unless the war-torn Afghanistan is reconstructed and rehabilitated.

He raised objection at the composition of "six-plus-two" on Afghanistan and demanded exclusion of Russia and the United States from the group. "There is no justification for US and Russia to be in the "six plus two" as Afghanistan has been suffering for years because of the rivalries between these two powers," he said.

Gul said the United States wanted Pakistan to take a U-turn on Afghanistan which is not possible. He responded in affirmative when asked if there was US pressure on Pakistan not to normalize relations with Iran. He said the government would be playing with fire if it follows US dictates.

About sanctions on Afghanistan, he said these sanctions have helped strengthen Taliban government as these have won support of the Afghan people for them and also for Osama bin Laden.

"Washington continues to pressurize Pakistan for signing the CTBT and curbing fundamentalism in Afghanistan, which is not possible," he said.

Gul said minimum nuclear deterrent was inevitable for Pakistan in the face of Indian nuclear doctrine and also because of the conventional weapons," imbalance with the latter. Similarly he said, "what the Americans consider fundamentalism is a matter of faith for us."

He said the United States is subjecting the Muslims to hostile treatment and more so Pakistan due to its strong modern army, which is loved and liked by the people of Pakistan and also because of Pakistans nuclear status.

He said Washington wanted to bring Pakistan into New Delhis orbit so that the entire region is, at a latter stage, poised against China.

It is not possible for Pakistan to meet the demands and requirements of Americans. I see Pakistan coming face to face with US in future," Hameed maintained.

Touching the issue of sectarianism, the former ISI Chief said it was an implanted issue. Every time America and some one else wants certain things done in Pakistan, then at that time sectarian violence erupts," he said.

On Kashmir issue, Hameed Gul said the ousted Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif tried to toy with this issue and even went to the extent of saying that we are changing our 52 year old stand and India should also do so. However, he said India rejected to abandon its stand, on the one hand, and, on the other, the Pakistani nation and the armed forces rejected Nawaz Sharifs policy on Kargil and Kashmir.