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Former Indian diplomats hope to meet Musharraf

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

The visit by a team of former diplomats to Pakistan has aroused much interest as it comes when the Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest anti-India group operating in Jammu and Kashmir, has declared a cease-fire.

The Hizbul's top leaders, including chief Syed Salahuddin, are in Islamabad and they are expected to discuss the cease-fire and negotiations on Kashmir.

While in Pakistan on a Track II diplomatic visit, the Indian team is expected to meet Pakistani foreign minister Abdul Sattar and is hopeful of meeting Pakistan's chief executive officer General Pervez Musharraf.

The team -- comprising former foreign secretaries M K Rasgotra and Salman Haidar, and former ambassadors to Pakistan C V Ranganathan, Alan Nazareth and Manorama Bhalla -- will also meet former Pakistani diplomats, senior retired army officers and other influential people.

Ironically, the visit had been planned before the Hizbul declared a cease-fire.

The trip was proposed after a Pakistani delegation of eminent, but non-government people, came to India on a goodwill visit. The Pakistani team had met Nazareth, who now resides in the Karnataka capital of Bangalore, and was promised a reciprocal trip to continue diplomatic efforts.

Haidar has also been promoting diplomacy, steering clear of government participation, to help improve relations with Pakistan.

Since the Indian team is in Pakistan when the Hizbul offered an olive branch, it is likely that discussions with the Hizbul and about Kashmir will crop up.

While all delegation members are no longer linked to the government nor do they hold any official position, they continue to wield influence over South Block. Their impressions, gained by meeting key people in Pakistan, will certainly give the government a clearer picture of what is happening there and help in preparing a response.

The key official in the Indian team may well be Rasgotra, who is known to be close to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

Rasgotra is known to be particularly close to Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister, and himself a former Indian Foreign Service officer. Rasgotra is believed to be advising the government on the Kashmir issue.

Haidar has been involved in Track II diplomacy and has visited Pakistan in recent times to keep contact at the people-to-people level.

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