People's Democracy

THE Pakistan president, Pervez Musharraf met the visiting Left parties delegation led by CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and CPI general secretary A B Bardhan at the Army House in Rawilpindi on March 1. During this nearly one and hour meeting, both sides exchanged views on issues related to the ongoing dialogue process between the two countries.

In an impromptu decision during the meeting, Pakistan president ordered the immediate release of 200 Indian civilian prisoners languishing in the country’s jails for economic offences and for not carrying proper documents. "Release them" was the impromptu order issued by Musharraf when the visiting Left leaders from India broached the subject.

Musharraf took the spontaneous decision when it was pointed out to him by them that these 200 odd persons were held for not carrying proper documents and for economic offences. These people have completed their jail terms and needed a spontaneous gesture to be released.

According to the Indian government estimate, over 1400 Indians, including 54 Prisoners of War (PoWs), were lodged in various jails in Pakistan.

Musharraf also raised the issue of construction on Baglihar Power Project and asked the Indian government to stop it and hold further negotiations on the dispute. The Left leaders and Musharraf, however, differed on the Baglihar hydro-power project issue.

Coming out of the meeting Surjeet said that they got the confidence after talking to the president that the confidence building measures may go fast forward.

The two Left leaders said that they were deeply impressed by Musharraf’s honesty and sincerity to address all issues relating to Indo-Pak relations. "He is very frank and honestly answered all our querries," said Surjeet.

"I do not want to be known in history as a man who failed," Bardhan quoted Musharraf as saying. The General wants to resolve the issues in his as well as 91-year-old Surjeet’s lifetime, he said.