New Delhi, December 15
Yesterday’s failed attempt on the life of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has the hallmarks of a wheels-within-wheels conspiracy which indicate that Gen Musharraf’s potential assassins may be in the Pakistan army itself.
Gen Musharraf had earlier survived three assassination attempts, including two in Karachi, and, according to diplomatic observers here, all these incidents show that anti-Musharraf sentiments in Pakistan military forces had swept the lower ranks who believe that Gen Musharraf has sold the armed forces to the United States in the name of curbing Islamic extremism in the region.
The news of the fourth assassination attempt was broken by GEO TV, a subsidiary of the Jang/News group of newspapers which has good rapport with the army officers. Surprisingly, the news of the assassination attempt on Gen Musharraf in September 2002 was also broken by GEO TV. Yesterday’s attack happened in a highly protected area where hundreds of army officers live.
Gen Musharraf’s itinerary is never made public. Decoy cars routinely escort his entourage while aircraft maintain surveillance of the Presidential convoy. Because of the threats to Gen Musharraf, Pakistan army’s elitest unit, the Special Services Group, looks after his personal security.
Diplomatic observers here do not rule out the possibility of a serious conspiracy within the army by certain elements who may have wanted yesterday’s attack to be viewed as “just another” terrorist bombing blamed on the jehadi organisations which had been banned recently.
Besides, the way the Pakistan government, including the Army spokesman Maj-Gen Shauqat Sultan, confirmed and described the attack as an attempt to Gen Musharraf’s life shows that the army was very keen to divert attention from anyone trying to point a finger towards the army itself.
