General satisfaction in Pak

ISLAMABAD: After playing a well-appreciated peace innings on India's turf, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf — who prepares to return to Islamabad — may now have to handle reverse swing from fanatics here who wanted him to have clean bowled India over the Kashmir issue. "It is the best innings he is playing and it's still incomplete," says a peace activist and a keen cricket observer, Baseer Naveed."It needs patience, and both defensive and aggressive stroke-play, but also be extra-careful because of hardliners." "The fanatics want him to play like Shahid Afridi hitting a six on every ball and win Kashmir from India, but politics and cricket are two different fields," Naveed says. "It needs the natural strokeplay of Inzamam, patience of Rahul Dravid and elegance of Sachin Tendulkar, as well a long peace innings." People on the streets may not be celebrating Musharraf's visit to New Delhi as they did the historic victory of Pakistan in the one-day matches against India, and he may not be garlanded like Inzamam but people are happy over his performance and his peace initiatives in New Delhi during his peace talks with the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and consider it a 'Peace Yatra'. "Musharraf is a courageous man. He tried to explain the Indian leadership that solution to Kashmir holds the key to any political match between Pakistan and India. But he also attempted to convince the old players like Kashmiri leaders that playing tactics should be changed in the modern era," says Mohammad Javed, a student at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad. The traditional extremists and bitter rivals, to peace with India still exist, like Shiv Sena. The right wing in Pakistan has criticised him on what they call a "climb-down" on Kashmir. "It is sidelining the core issue of Kashmir to undermine the freedom struggle. These negotiations by putting Kashmir at the backburner are useless," says Liaquat Baloch, a senior leader of country's largest religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami. "The trade, sports and cultural ties, and opening borders are not going to solve Kashmir issue. We cannot forget the sacrifices of Kashmiris. No matter how much international pressure exists, Pakistan should not drift away from its stated position. The Indians are not sincere and Pakistan should give Kashmir top priority in negotiations," Baloch adds. Most of the mainstream press and society has welcomed the peace moves of President Musharraf and Manmohan Singh. "The majority of civil society wants to get rid of the legacy of rivalry, hatred and war, so the country is able to concentrate on its home front especially if his (Musaharraf) government makes up with India," says analyst and a leading human rights activist of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), IA Rehman. In Sindh, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which represents Urdu-speaking migrants from India after partition in 1947, appreciated Musharraf's efforts and welcome the opening up of Mumbai-Karachi consulates and Manabhao-Khokrapar border, a longstanding demand. Meanwhile, in Muzaffarbad, members of divided Kashmiri families are happy over the bus between Srinagar and Muzaffarbad, but remained cautious about the solution of Kashmir issue. "The bus service is not only the reunion of divided Kashmiri families, but is the meeting of hearts, and souls. Our heart gives us a good vibe, but our mind leaves us confused," says Pervez Butt, a resident of Muzaffarabad. "We pray for peace, and for Kashmiris. We also pray that whatever Musharraf and Manmohan are saying should prove true."