Zia urged to confederate

NEW DELHEI: The controversial ex-chief of Pakistan’s powerful inter-services intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen Hamid Gul, had proposed to late Gen Zia Ul Haq to try to form a confederation with Afghanistan to gain access to Afghan uranium fields besides political advantages, according to a recent issue of the Kabul Times.

This would make Pakistan’s nuclear program virtually independent from foreign suppliers, Lt Gen Gul had said in a secret note to Gen Zia less than two months before his death in a plane crash in August 1988.

The Kabul Times published a Photostat of the purported document in which Lt Gen Gul contended that the proposed confederation would counter “Indian expansionism which has created a powerful military mechanism.”

The confederation may be formed under the banner of Islamic countries for the sake of peace, security and stability in the region, thus “preventing communist infiltration.”

The Daily did not reveal how it procured the document authored by Lt Gen Gul removed from his post last year after the Pakistan People’s Party came into power. He is currently commanding a corps in Multan.

“Within the framework of this confederation, frontiers must be abolished and a common economic structure established. This will permit access to Afghan uranium fields and will make our nuclear program virtually independent from foreign suppliers.

“Political considerations prompt that the initiative for the creation of such a confederation must come from an Islamic national government,” Lt Gen Gul wrote,

The then ISI chief favored Pakistan promoting Afghan Mujahedeen’s complete victory. Pakistan must render all possible military and political aid to the seven party alliances and above all to the group belonging to Gulbadin Hikmatyar, he said.

Lt Gen Gul was confident that the Pak Afghan confederation would almost certainly win the support of Iran and Turkey. “To win their positive attitude towards this formation (confederation) we must advance the idea of a regional axis comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey, he wrote,

The former ISI chief expected a positive reaction from Washington. He felt that the US would respond to a strategy aimed at “halting communist expansion.”

India’s stand is sure to be negative because the confederation constitutes a severe blow.to its plan for isolation of Pakistan,” he said.

The confederation idea, Lt Gen Gul stressed, would not be to the liking of the Soviet Union. “It may even issue a sharply worded statement, but do no more. After a while it will show its willingness to establish relations with the federation.”

Article extracted from this publication >> February 16, 1990