NEW DELHI: Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Thursday said that India is a “very important neighbour,” adding that it was unfortunate that the two countries have had a “chequered history" of relations. But, the time had come to walk past the narratives of the past and make a new beginning, IBN Live reported.
Basit was inaugurating a lifestyle exhibition, ‘Aalishan Pakistan’, jointly organised by FICCI and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) in New Delhi.
“When our two countries come together, the sky is the limit,” he said.
"We can benefit from each other and if we were to establish a relationship that is based on mutual respect and mutual benefits, there is no way we cannot really perform miracles," he added.
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj claimed that there might be a window for resumption of talks with Pakistan.
"There is no full stop in diplomacy; it's always commas and semi-colons. And, after all this, people always move forward. There are no full stops in diplomatic journeys,” she said.
Addressing the issue of the floods in Kashmir, Basit said that authorities on both sides are working to overcome the disaster.
"I think our two leaders have exchanged letters and let's hope that authorities on both sides are working to overcome the challenge," Basit said.
"We have already sent a reply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already sent a reply. That reply itself spoke volumes of Pakistan's interest in working together to overcome this environment of climate change challenges," he added.
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@MSS I am absolutely amazed you are confident there will be a "Pakistan" in 2047.
@Strategic Asset: India long time ago has accepted China's ownership of Tibet and officially considers it a part of China.
@AVPMPolpot: Thanks for the link.
The amabassodor should first understand that better relationships via kashmir with India is of doubtful benefit.
@startegic Asset, Thanks. I think by 2047 UN itself will become irrelevant, a new organisation will replace it. India-Pakistan relations will improve beyond recognition and Kashmir would have been settled mainly around the LOC being given minor adjustments in each direction.
Pakistans non existent Claim on Kashmir +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pls watch Ms Christine Fair on her Youtube Video: "Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army's Way of War" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3DIOjTmX0M. It exposes the myth of Pakistan's claim on Kashmir. Very Interesting. The Moderator is also invited.
@MSS: Will the UN resolutions still be relevant?
The UN resolutions are already irrelevant ever since the Simla Agreement.
As a moral justification, one irrevocable fact also is that Nehru was the one who went to the UN to seek a peaceful resolution but Pakistan reneged on the initial conditions and later on gave a part of the disputed territory to China. Moreover the demographics on both sides have completely changed, in India by attrition and in Pakistan by addition.
Abrogation of Article 370 will put an end to this matter. It will also boost tourism infrastructure in Kashmir which even today does not have a single hotel belonging to a national or international chain.
@Imran American
The Indian PM after taking over the reigns of the country made a new beginning by inviting the Pak PM but Pakistan replied by firing on 20 BSF posts when Modi visited Kargil which continued for several days. Pakistan did not stop even after these border violations and despite India's objections the Pak ambassador met Hurryiat leaders which lead to cancellation of talks. It is evident that Pakistan did not want to make a new beginning but made its stand clear that it will continue its policy of border violations which it is committed to for several decades. However, at home the Pakistan govt cancelled talks with Taliban on plea that talks and acts of terrorism cannot go together and also mounted an operation on this outfit which is still continuing. Therefore, the dual policy followed with India so far will no longer be accepted by the new govt who has made it clear that talks will only take place when its neighbour changes its stance and change its old habits which is dictated by its military.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: " India be warned, there will be a revolution soon." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Is PAT visiting there?
@American: India is the status-quo power and can afford to wait it out indefinitely. Pakistan is the revisionist power with leverage. (Same situation between India and China…India has no lever against China that has annexed Tibet, and is sitting on land claimed by India). Stalemate ! That is incorrect. India and China sit on different portions of land that they each claim. China claims the state of Arunachal Pradesh, and India claims Aksai Chin. Of the two, India is better off since Aksai Chin is uninhabited desert land while Arunachal Pradesh is a fertile state and pro-India sentiments run high. Pakistan has no leverage. It is a strange country which alternates between digging a grave for India and asking the world to pull it out of a hole in the ground. It is best to wait and watch, one way or the other, they will either soon be too deep to rescue, or will have to abandon the idea itself.
@American: Lost you there, exactly what leverage does Pakistan have?
Also I disagree with you on Tibet. India has leverage as it is the successor state to the British Raj and can thus claim ownership of the 1906 Anglo-Chinese Convention. Just as the Chinese did not accept British suzerainty over Tibet, India has never accepted Chinese suzerainty over Tibet. India's leverage also is that the Tibetan administration comprising of the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, etc. and millions of Tibetans live in India.
But, the time had come to walk past the narratives of the past and make a new beginning
What the ambassador really means is "Let's forget about Mumbai and all the wars that Pakistan initiated."
However what he really wants is "Let's focus only on the old tired arguments on Kashmir, Sir Creek, Siachen, water, etc. and see how Pakistan can gain some more."
As Modi told in Japan, expansionism is an 18th century mindset. India may be willing to accept status-quo right now, but that is bound to change if the disparity between the two countries rises further.
Don't do the mistake of meeting the separatists again. We can progress only by joining hands with India.
Nawaz government is bent over backwards for diplomacy and the Indian were never serious in the first place.
Nothing will happen as long as army chief sits in one on one position and shows off who is boss in Pakistan... As long as Army chief wants to run foreign and security policy in Pakistan the relationships do not improve... In India army chief is first and foremost a sepoy, sainik, soldier, government employee, etc to carry out the policies of elected governments... So my number one and most important suggestion to improve the peace is to grant MFN status to India which it granted to Pakistan in 1996... Next step is to follow in letter and spirit that Pakistani soil is not used to export terrorism, drugs, fake currency, promote Kashmiri terrorists, shelter gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim, Sikh separatists, etc so that the relationship will slowly gets normalized... Our lives are interconnected and endless speeches does not solve any things... So please, Pakistani brothers and sisters, protest for peace and development to uplift the millions of poor...
" That reply itself spoke volumes of Pakistan’s interest in working together to overcome this environment of climate change challenges,” he added." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Apart from the fact that his speech writer is linguistically challenged I think Mr Basit forgot about the issues of Terror emanating from Pakistani soil and the stalled Mumbai Trial..
" Time for 'new beginning' in bilateral ties: Pakistani high commissioner to India" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ New Beginnings have already happened...Pakistan's bilateral ties with the Hurriyat. All that remains is for Mr Basit to be rechristened as High Commissioner to Hurriyat.
" Addressing the issue of the floods in Kashmir, Basit said that authorities on both sides are working to overcome the disaster." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Did he repeat the charge against India of Water Terrorism a la Mr Hafeez Sayeed? Does he have any views on Kishanganga...a case that was already decided upon by ICJ...and claimed as a victory for Pakistan?
Is this a Pakistani newspaper or Indian
Pakistan army is helping its people, while Indian army is allowing Kashmiris to drown. There is a big difference between the two. For sure, God's judgement is not far from this wicked nation India.
Allow Kashmiris to decide their fate, otherwise we will take our freedom with our own hands. Anger in Kashmir is at fever pitch after this disaster. India be warned, there will be a revolution soon.
India is the status-quo power and can afford to wait it out indefinitely. Pakistan is the revisionist power with leverage. (Same situation between India and China...India has no lever against China that has annexed Tibet, and is sitting on land claimed by India). Stalemate !
Not Interested!
We sound like a broken record, what a shame.
Developed countries are moving away from nation state narratives towards free trade and free movement of people, away from boundaries and warfare to economics and welfare of their citizens. It is high time that governments of the countries of the Indian subcontinent put the welfare of the people above those of the military establishments.
Talks do not serve a purpose for India when
1) there is no will to implement what is agreed in Palistan e.g. Issues related to trade and bisa liberalisation.
2) even when an issue is taken to international arbitration by Pakistan eith the judgment binding on both countries, and India wins the case - pakistan wants to revisit the decision e.g. Baglihar dam case
3) there is no commitment to honor Simla agreement on resolving Kashmir problem which has been signed by both parties and Pakistan continues to meet Indian insurgents.
4) the LOC ceasefire is repeatedly dishonored with a view to push jihadis in India
Still I imagine at some point talks will restart to show the world but there is unlikely to be meaningful progress. In any case peace talks do not guarantee peace and absence of peace talks does not imply war. The ground reality will only change when civilians in Pakistan have control over foreign policy and security policy. It certainly does not look like that will be in the near future.
The Pakistan high commissioner, Abdul Basit, has become a persona non grata in Delhi after his uncalled for and totally unwarranted meeting with Kashmir separatists, despite being warned by the Indian foreign office that the impending talks between the two foreign secretaries would be called off. Now having created an embarrassing situation for his country (perhaps, he was acting under instructions from his masters in Islamabad), he seeks to repair relations and get the dialogue moving forward. The envoy has to understand that he is treading on high-voltage diplomatic wire. Pakistan will do well to cease ALL terrorist activities which have become an extension of its foreign policy (assuming it has one, in the first place). Unless terrorism is sincerely and seriously stopped (it cannot fool the world with its denial and deception tactics), there can be no movement towards a meaningful dialogue. It's shame because the two countries, with a common history and culture, could and should have joined forces and become a new superpower that will combat common enemies: poverty, medical care, development, etc. etc. Until this sinks into the minds of Pakistanis, who should also take the initiative to dismantle the evil and destructive terrorist network on its soil that will, eventually, also harm its external and domestic situation.
All talks and no action from Pakistan. If you can't even reciprocate the MFN status, how do you even imagine to fix an issue like Kashmir? India has made it very clear that Kashmir is integral part of India now how would you digest it and how would you convey your people about this reality?