Pakistan's military government should sever ties with banned Islamic militant groups as the move will reduce threats to the country's internal security and reassure India, a leading think tank has said.
According to the International Crisis Group, the Pakistani government risks increasing threats to domestic and regional security if it insists on dominating post-earthquake reconstruction efforts, undermines civilian participation and allows banned jihadi groups to continue to wield influence.
"Turning a blind eye again to President Pervez Musharraf's links to the jihadis would further embolden radical forces that are capitalising on years of military rule," the ICG said, adding that Musharraf severing his ties with banned jihadi groups and excluding them from earthquake relief and reconstruction will also empower moderate Pakistani voices and reassure India.
The group finds that the military government has sought to use earthquake rescue and relief, and now intends to use reconstruction and rehabilitation, to demonstrate its competence. While it eventually provided important logistical support to care givers, the military's ineffective initial response to the October 8, 2005 earthquake in the Kashmir and Northwest Frontier Province cost many lives, the ICG said.
Musharraf's government sidelined civilian structures in the earthquake areas, and its strategic priorities were translated into support for the relief role of Islamic organizations, even banned jihadi groups, who are operating under new names, Samina Ahmed, Crisis Group's South Asia project director said.