India urges Holbrooke to keep US heat on Pak

New Delhi: .Pakistan has imposed Islamic Sharia law in Swat province in exchange for a ceasefire with Taliban groups that practically control the areas.

The bigger question now is if this deal for peace will end up breaking Pakistan into pieces?

It was the top concern for US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke who landed in Delhi after visiting Pakistan and Afghanistan.

By his own admission, Holbrooke is in the region to ‘listen’.

“I reported to Indian government on my trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan. I carried no advice or guidance. I wanted to listen to the Indian government’s views on a whole range of issues,” said the US envoy to the region.

For over half a day Richard Holbrooke was briefed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Secretary Menon on the issues of the security establishment on terrorism and India's larger concerns about Pakistan.

At the end of it he pointed to a common enemy.

“I want to underscore that the situation in Swat shows that the first time in 60 years India, Pakistan and the US face a direct threat from an enemy which targets our leadership, our capitals and our people.”

The enemy is the Taliban nurtured and protected by elements in the Pakistan army. The same Taliban has forced President Zardari to concede its demand for Islamic Sharia law in Swat and other frontier regions. Secular law will no longer prevail.

India told Holbrooke to tighten the purse strings for General Kiyani. India also demanded that the US keep the heat on Pakistan.

Despite the convergence of interests, India remains wary of the US. Along with a troop surge, US President Barack Obama is reportedly considering striking a deal with the moderate Taliban to ensure stability in Afghanistan.

But India believes the ISI is nurturing the Taliban to play a future role in Afghanistan. The Holbrooke meeting is thus not just about the US redefining its strategy for Afghanistan Pakistan but more so about India carving out a greater role for itself in the region.

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