Emerging Pakistan - Part I - Views on the future of the country

[EjazR]

Actually, I never said Purohit targeted Pakistanis inside Pakistan. In a previous post in this thread I did point out that the Pakistanis who were being transported in the Samjhota express were killed on Indian territory.

Sorry if I confused you there. I mean that Purohit was not involved in the Samjhota blast in India as well. So your statement that "some exteremists in the IA" are committing terrorists acts such as killing Pakistanis in the Smajhot blasts is inaccurate. Notice it did tno ahve any links.

He has been convicted in another case in Malegaon (in Maharashtra) where he was involved in implicating local muslims for bombings.

You can make your article more accurate by removing the Samjhota and Pakistanis being attacked reference and replacing it with Malegaon and local Indians being attacked

Turkey has stated at the Presidential and Prime Ministerial levels on several occasions, that they support Pakistan on Kashmir. Frankly, I don't think it behooves a diplomat to get into the nitty-gritty of an issue and express very detailed black and white views publicly when this is not necessary. However, since Pakistan and India's positions have evolved with our ups and downs, what Turkish support specifically means to Pakistan has also oscillated. For example, during President Musharraf's time, Pakistan and India came pretty close to settling this issue only to face disappointment at the 11th hour. Obviously, both parties were taking a compromise position in these negotiations which was far removed from the publicly stated "Akhand Bharat" vs "Kashmir banay ga Pakistan" positions.

The same claim can be made by India as well. Besides whats more important is how Turkey supports the resolution of the problem. This is what I was after. For example, the US, UK and most western countries during the cold war supported the plebiscite position and direct UN or other 3rd party involvement until the late 1980s-1990s. After the breakup of Soviet union, the militancy in J&K and more recently after 9/11 almost all countries support the bilateral resolution of Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
AFAIK, almost every country in the world supports the bilateral resolution process now. However, Pakistan even now tries to internationalise it and get 3rd party mediation involved. This is natural as it is at the disadvantaged position and wants to have a 3rd party to support it. However, Turkey, or any other country has not stressed on supporting Pakistan on this issue. Key countries for Pakistan like China, Us, Saudi Arabia all have stressed a bilateral resolution and their involvement only if both parties request it.

Ironically, its the US that has played the biggest role in nudging India to fast track the resolution process during Musharraf era but no one in Pakistan seems to give them credit.

It is to be noted, however, that Turkey has continued its support of Pakistan through these negotiations with India. During President Abdullah Gul's most recent visit, the President of Pakistan again thanked him for Turkey's support on Kashmir. Turkey has always supported Pakistan within the OIC whenever the latter has raised the issue of Kashmir - including on resolutions condemning brutality etc. Net-net, if you were looking for an answer to the question of whether Turkey would 'vote' for Pakistan or India on this issue, I think the evidence points very heavily towards Pakistan.

The visit if I'm not mistaken was to review the earth quake relief help that Turkey had sent. I think you are mixing up good will and relief effort to supporting Pakistan's political stand.
Even India sent significant earthquake relief fund at that time. And you will have plenty of good will in India who just want to have a peaceful moderate neighbor. Most links you posted are also saying the same thing above, that Turkey wants Kashmir to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan and that it will "support" Pakistan on whatever it comes up with on Kashmir resolution.

Anyways, that's all from me on this.