Musharraf put on notice

new delhi: contrary to media projections, pakistani president pervez musharraf did not have double standards in dealing with terrorism to the west and east of his country. islamabad generated, sustained and supported talibani terrorism, and with equal fervour did the same in respect of kashmiri terrorism. in fact, these were two faces of a common terrorism.they were ''freedom fighters'' on both fronts. the tradition of calling terrorists ''freedom fighters'' goes back to 1947, to jinnah and liaquat ali khan, who sent in tribal raiders led by pakistani ex-servicemen and active servicemen under the leadership of maj gen akbar khan. this plan was repeated in 1965. in the 1980s, pakistan had the full backing of the us in training people for terrorist raids into afghanistan. that was when pakistani actions acquired respectability. as the afghan war ended in 1989, pakistan stepped up its proxy war in kashmir. when they saw an opportunity in afghanistan in 1994, they sent in the taliban. pakistan did not voluntarily give up its linkages with the taliban and the al-qaida and join the war against terrorism. it did so under us' ultimatum. even then, islamabad maintained its links with the taliban until the end. the pakistani leaders still hoped to persuade the west to look away from their terroristic activities in kashmir as a reward for abandoning the taliban and allowing their land and airspace to be used. pakistan's generals live in a world of their own. they could not understand that the west — in its own self-interest — would no longer allow terrorism to be nurtured in pakistan and be successful in one sector — kashmir — lest that should later spread and be directed against the west. it was only a question of time when the us was bound to tell musharraf that he had to stop all terroristic activities directed westward or eastward. this is the unambiguous message british prime minister tony blair delivered to him with the full authority of president bush. there was a clear warning that if musharraf did not comply, economic aid would stop. it was also obvious that the us and britain would not interfere with india applying military pressure on pakistan so long as it stops short of shooting. it would appear from the joint press conference in islamabad that a visibly shaken musharraf is beginning to get the message. he will be given time and adequate support to rehabilitate from pakistan's addiction to terrorism. he has been put on notice that he has to change, or else.