Peres’ desperate bid to help ‘friend’ out

Israeli President Shimon Peres is desperately trying to help his friend Pervez Musharraf who is going through the most difficult time of his political life.
Reliable sources in foreign office have revealed that Shimon Peres is putting indirect pressure on the coalition government in Pakistan through different diplomatic channels not to impeach Musharraf. Peres wants a safe exit for Musharraf and he is also ready to provide security for his friend outside Pakistan.
These sources have claimed that Shimon Peres and Musharraf are in regular contact with each other for the last three years. Both met first in Davos in January 2005 and after that they had written many letters to each other and exchanged pleasantries on telephone several times.
It is learnt that Peres wrote his first-ever official letter to Musharraf in October 2007 and appreciated his efforts in the fight against terrorism. Musharraf, in his response, thanked the Israeli President for his support and good wishes. These letters were exchanged through diplomatic channels of Turkey.
Peres called his Pakistani friend again a few days ago. Though the details of their conversation were not available with Pakistani foreign office, it is believed that Peres must have offered some help to Musharraf.
Informed sources are of the view that Israel has strong friendly relations with Turkey and is in a position to provide security for Musharraf in Turkey. One close friend of Musharraf is busy in lobbying for his boss in the USA these days. This friend of Musharraf has met many leaders of the World Jewish Congress recently.
This special friend enjoyed ministerial status for many years in Pakistan despite the fact that he was an American citizen and he was not elected from anywhere in Pakistan. It is learnt that the same friend is requesting his American Jewish contacts to do something for the safe exit of Musharraf through Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Peres had openly said in October 2001 that he prayed for the life of Musharraf every morning because had signed his death warrant by changing the Afghan policy of Pakistan.
After that, Musharraf also came into contact with late Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. He also met Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak in January this year in Paris. Diplomatic sources claim that Musharraf is the most popular Pakistani leader in Israel.
Musharraf was the first Pakistani leader who was invited to address the World Jewish Congress in US in 2005.After that historic event, the then foreign minister of Pakistan Khurshid Kasuri met Israeli foreign minister Silvon Shalom in Turkey in 2005. Musharraf asked Pakistani foreign office in early 2007 to prepare a plan for the recognition of Israel but the plan was not materialised due to the political turmoil started in March 2007.
It is also pertinent to mention here that Indian National Security Adviser MK Narayanan was the first foreign leader to come out openly in support of Musharraf on Wednesday, saying that impeachment of Musharraf will only help extremists in Pakistan. Naraynan declared on December 19, 2007 that India could trust Musharraf but not Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf knows that he is still popular with Indian and Israeli establishments and has a lot of friends in Western capitals. If provided a safe exit, he can find a new role in international diplomacy.
Highly placed sources in the coalition government have claimed that Musharraf is now completely isolated. He has informed Asif Zardari through the governor of Punjab that he will resign if provided with special indemnity.
Coalition government is not ready to provide him indemnity and in that case he will face a first-ever humiliating impeachment, which will definitely make a new history in Pakistan.