The November 2008 Mumbai attacks have become the main sticking point in efforts to improve ties between India and Pakistan. So much so that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s maiden visit to Islamabad has been linked to bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
The Indian prime minister, who was invited to visit Pakistan in November by President Asif Ali Zardari, is unlikely to undertake the trip this year due to what is being termed as “slow progress” to prosecute those behind the Mumbai attacks.
Pakistan is keen to host the Indian premier next month on the eve of celebrations of the 544rd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. Be that as it may, Pakistani officials told The Express Tribune that the Indian government had not yet indicated if Singh would be traveling to Islamabad next month.
India’s reluctance to accept President Zardari’s invitation is being attributed to snags in the prosecution of Mumbai attacks suspects currently being tried by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi. Diplomatic sources said India was not content with certain recent developments in the case, which have further delayed the prosecution of suspects.
New Delhi had also voiced concerns over the anti-terrorism court’s rejection of a report submitted by a judicial commission, which traveled to India earlier this year in connection with Mumbai attacks investigation.
The anti-terrorism court said the commission’s report could not be used as evidence against the seven Pakistani suspects because commission members were not allowed to cross-examine key witnesses in India.
Indian officials, however, argued that they allowed the eight-member Pakistani judicial commission to perform its functions, according to the terms of references agreed between the two sides.
When contacted, foreign ministry spokesperson Moazzam Ali Khan said Pakistan would welcome the Indian prime minister without divulging whether New Delhi had accepted the invitation.
“Our invitation is there and we are looking forward to his visit,” said Khan.
Islamabad has long been pushing for Singh’s visit, but the Indian premier is believed to have been reluctant to cross the border before the two sides had made a major breakthrough on some of the key issues stalling the peace process. The official stance of the Indian government has also remained that the Indian premier would visit Pakistan when the atmosphere is “ripe” and something “worthwhile” comes out from such a trip.
“India should show some reciprocity and must not hold hostage the process of rapprochement to one single incident,” commented Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Jinnah Fellow at the Oxford University London.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (38)
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@M.Ahmer Ali: Pakistan is your country if you do not want to see the writing on the wall that is your wish.
@jagjit sidhoo.: Why don't you see and spread in the whole world thru media the innocent and sinless killings of women and children in Kashmir almost daily and many innocent and sinless girls are being effected/targeted like Malala in Kashmir by the wild beasts Indian troops as you are seeing Malala's incident and spreading in the whole world?????
@Riz:
History will repeat itself - you mean 1971s and kargils ? .. cool ..looking forward to it.
@Sexton Blake: Amen to that.
Well done Prime Minister.
The reason for MMS not visiting Pakistan is due to the Kashmir issue raised by Pakistan in the UN, thanks to Zardari. The 26/11 incident, which is still fresh in our minds, fuels the fire more. President Zardari is forced to dwell on the Kashmir issue in the UN to satisfy the mullahs, the politicians, and other weirdos. The more he yells about Kashmir and does nothing on the ground regarding 26/11, the more our Prime Minister will be forced to stay away from Pakistan, which is what the majority of the Indians want, staying away from Pakistan. Great going Zardari.
@gp65: at Ghaznavi
There is, admittedly, a problem in India with the huge demand for sanitation facilities; its sheer size is one reason why India is referred to as the subcontinent. Of course, this guy Ghaznavi, who loves to spit venom and who because of his defective birth genes is so prejudiced that he would not miss any opportunity to hate India. Not surprisingly, therefore, he has exaggerated beyond the wildest imagination with his figures on people without toilet facilities. What can you tell him -- he is so prejudiced that he will never see the reality of his own country which is going to become the world's ugliest slum, as many experts are predicting. Pakistan lives on borrowed money and borrowed time. Mr. Ghaznavi, don't pretend as if your country is God's paradise. Even Bangladesh offers a better quality of life than the terrible conditions in Pakistan.
Who cares?
@gp65: Dear gp65, I think we have far more important aspects of the Indian/Pakistan relationship to write about than toiletry problems . However, now the Indian toiletry habits, which I was totally unaware of, have been made a subject I think the Indians, from the sound of things, may need several hundred thousand toilets. However, it is not a put down of the Indian people from my point-of-view. If the Indians, Pakistanis and every other country would desist from belligerent activity every country could stop buying military equipment and decide to purchase or build infrastructure which really would be in their citizens best interests. Unfortunately, every country has a military/industrial complex who like to fight wars because it is profitable for them.
Indian what they are considering “potent ” they are noting and so for, behave as you can endures no need any bossiness unless permanent solution of Kashmir, further history always be repeated how long India can encroach to Kashmir, it more better learn lesson form America, what’s the price of wars and confrontations
@Ghaznavi: "The last time I checked, more than 800 million Indians defecate in the open. Will Mr. Singh make them some latrines as the foul smell is fogging the minds of ordinary Indians and they can’t think straight."
Yes. India DOES have a problem with open defecation though you are overstating the scale. But it is a problem that we recognize, a problem that we are willing to talk about, look in the eye and fix. Apart from government intervention there are private projects to address the problem e.g. Sudha Murthy of Infosys foundation is leading a project to add 10,000 toilets.
I have said this elsewhere and I will say it here again. We have a minister who is willing to say that India has a greater need to build toilets than temples. Do you have a Pakistani minister has the courage to say Pakistan has a greater need to build girls schools than masjids? Or is this fight just something that young 14 year olds will have to fight in your country?
@Ghaznavi: Ooohh...Pakistanis are really obsessed by the way of our defaecation....Though,its disturbing,its not surprising coming from a country which tops in searching unnatural forms of sex,according to Google
If we are not discussing Kashmir issue then what we are carrying out the dialogue for? Does anyone really think that peace can be achieved in South Asia without resolving Kashmir??
IceSoul, Looking at Pakistan's condition, its looks like she’s going to meet it's maker(Quaid e Azam) real soon.
" Indian PM unlikely to visit Pakistan in November" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Corrected Headline: Indian PM unlikely to visit Pakistan
Who other than the Chinese Premier wants to visit Pakistan? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ans: No one !
@IceSoul: Dear IceSoul, How could you be so cruel? I have almost caught up with P.M. Sing in age. However, never mind. We all become ancient eventually, and whether it is correct or not they do say that wisdom comes with age, and whatever you do, don't say you are still waiting in my particular case..
@M.Ahmer Ali: Reply Highly respected sir, the Baluchis are not your brothers? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Only 14000 of them have been 'misplaced' according to the UN HCR Report. Eh?
Prime Minister Sing may have a look of beatitude on his face, but it appears on the face of things that he may be trying out a downer on Pakistan. Pakistan tried to do the right thing by sending a Judicial Commission to India recently, but the Indian authorities would not allow Commission members to discuss vital aspects of the Mumbai case with key prosecution personnel. I think it really means that India just wants Pakistan to find people guilty, irrespective of whether they are or not, and will be satisfied with nothing less. The whole concept of justice seems to have flown out of the window since 9/11, particularly in Western countries. Draconian laws have been introduced and people who appear somewhat suspicious, even young boys and women, can be arrested, held without trial, retained in isolation, subjected to torture, and all this without any legal representation. Perhaps, this is how India wishes the Pakistan justice system to solve an incident which occurred nearly four years ago. Obviously, the longer it goes without trial the less likely it will be to make a safe decision. However, there are rumours floating about that India knows who the culprits are, they supposedly are not Pakistani, and India does not wish the real truth to come out. It may well be that the truth will never come out and it could be a case of let Pakistan be the scapegoat. Looking at a slightly different scenario it should be remembered that this is similar to how the US pressured Pakistan in the case of Dr. Aafri Siddiqui. They arrested her after several years, could not get her on terrorism, tortured her, misused the Qurann in front of her, tried her on a very insignificant point and she finished up serving 86 years in prison. Let us hope that Pakistan will not be bulldozed into making a bad decision over the Mumbai incident.
@Ghaznavi: That's the need of the hour.. India should concentrate on Sanitation,malnourished children,female foeticide,Maoist issue etc. Pakistan should concentrate on Balochisthan,waziristan,Taliban,hazaras/shia/suni/ahmedis etc.
Hassan.....I think the winds are carrying the fowl smell westwards towards Pakistan which is probably a reason for Pakstani leaders not able to take crucial decisions on when the Waziristan operation is to take place, or how to sort out the crippling energy crisis.
@IceSoul: "If he holds out for too long, he may not be able to come at all. Looking at his condition, its looks like he’s going to meet his maker real soon. " Pakistan is/should be concerned about the visit of Prime Minister of India. It hardly matters who occupies that position. ManMohan is of no consequence personally. India would have no problem if ManMohan travels to Pakistan after he is out as PM of India; in fact, he may, if he wishes, migrate permanently to his home village of Gah. If that is so ( and we hope that is so), parting will be such sweet sorrow, not!
@Arjit Sharma who writes: but we do not want him to make his maker any sooner than necessary/ordained
Believe me, neither do I. I was merely pointing out that he is old and frail and needs to hurry up, otherwise he may not be able to visit at all.
@IceSoul: ” … Looking at his condition, its looks like he’s going to meet his maker real soon. … “ Yes you are right don't let him come here coz he might dye his natural death in here and you wl blame us for that.....
suit yourself and thank you for saving us lot of expenses and trouble.
@M.Ahmer Ali:After the attack on Malalas one would have thought you would realize that bringing all these loose cannons to book would be in Pakistan's own interest .
@ Hassan
The last time I checked, more than 800 million Indians defecate in the open. Will Mr. Singh make them some latrines as the foul smell is fogging the minds of ordinary Indians and they can't think straight.
@IceSoul: " ... Looking at his condition, its looks like he’s going to meet his maker real soon. ... "
Many of us do not agree with the way Dr. M.M.Singh runs things, but we do not want him to make his maker any sooner than necessary/ordained.
Ahmer Ali,
Your opinion and welcome do not matter. He will come if he has to. Now can I pl ask you to sop wasting your time and concentrate on the immediate goal that you have, i.e. improving the situation of Pakistan.
What's news in this? You kill our people and expect our PM to visit?
If he holds out for too long, he may not be able to come at all. Looking at his condition, its looks like he's going to meet his maker real soon.
Whereas the Indian PM did his best to normalise relations with Pakistan but the latter's response was too little to undertake visit to this country.
Why this even is a headline. Indians are not going to move an inch- all this "Aman ki Asha" is farce, they are not interested in resolving any disputes- they needed concessions on transport to Afghanistan and similar issues and their (not our) govt in Pakistan obliged them with full heart, that is it, nothing more, nothing less. Obviously they will keep using different justifications to keep Pak govt on the defense.
We all know that, We also know the reason.
There you go. Pakistanis need to stand up and save your country. Time has changed. Correct your foreign policy objectives otherwise you will be left alone in the world.