Meeting with Hurriyat leader probably mistimed, says Sartaj Aziz
While talking to Indian channel Headlines Today on Saturday, Aziz said although such meetings were regular for decades now, the timing could have been better this time.
“This has been a regular practice since last 30 years and I don’t think there is anything new about it,” he said. “In this case, the timing was probably not right because a substantial discussion on Kashmir was yet to start.”
This meeting on August 25 was to declare the agenda, he added.
However, Aziz argued, if Indians had apprehensions, they could have informed them, earlier.
“I think if the request had come earlier that the timing is not right then probably it could have been reconsidered,” he said. “But in this case the message came when one of the Kashmiri leaders was already in the High Commission.”
COMMENTS (37)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732256278-0/ellen-(1)1732256278-0-165x106.webp "article")
1725877703-0/Tribune-Pic-(5)1725877703-0-165x106.webp "article")
1726722687-0/Express-Tribune-Web-(9)1726722687-0-270x192.webp "instability hurts progress cm punjab")
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: India has not invaded any country from last 1000 yrs. You also cannot control Pakistan.
BTW, it is noticed that this paper has "Jammu & Kashmir" as one of the entities under the tab "Pakistan"; i.e., seems like you already consider J&K as part of Pakistan. Can it be more delusional than this ? :-)
@Patriot: Who says Baluchistan is not disputed? Just because its nor raised in UN does not mean it is not. In fact all of Pakistan is disputed.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: All surveys show that Japan, Germany and India are popular in Afghanistan and US and Pakistan are unpopular"
Yes Pakistan funded, armed and sent unemployed jihadis in 1989 to India. The world has changed since then. If you think a similar trick can be pulled again, you are hallucinating.
In any case your response is otally unconnected o my original point which is that Afghanistan is nit oart of Pakistan and hence India does not need Pakistani approval to talk to Afghan leaders.
Even if the meeting did not take place......it would not make any difference to the other sides stance, because altering it would mean political suicide for them.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri
Why does Pakistan need permission from anyone to meet with a fraternal Muslim leader of another Muslim majority region? Pakistan and Kashmir are both part of the Islamic world
Then kindly meet our j&k chief minister omar abduallah also he also a kashmiri and meet our Indian Islamic leaders also like deobandis, bralveis, sufis etc. I think logically and practically I'm correct.
Some of the people from India are comparing Balochistan with Kashmir. There is a world of difference between Kashmir issue and Balochistan. Kashmir is a disputed area and UN Security Council resolutions of 1948 are still valid. Whereas it is well known fact that India is playing mischief by helping some separatists in Balochistan. I would rather ask the Indian government to stop interfering in Balochistan.
@Gp65: Afghans are an occupied nation, and now that they are finally overcoming the numerous foreign powers which have controlled them, you will see genuine Afghan aspirations. Afghan people, like Pakistanis, support freedom and independence for Kashmir. Afghans fought in the first war to liberate Kashmir from Indian occupation.
Karzai, Abdullah 2, and other lackeys don't represent the Afghan people. Afghans are represented by the villages, city people, refugees, and common folk.
@Asif: "I think Kashmir is Part of Pakistan" so can u take it back.Greatest fools are , who repeat same thing and expect different result
@Happy: Afghanistan and India are sovereign countries, so Pakistan has no locus standii about when India meets Afghan leaders. Comparison with Pakistani envoy meeting Indian insurgents in Delhi just before talks were to start with India is quite absurd.
@Asif: These people have Indian passport. They accept benefits from Indian government. If Pakistan talks to people in Pakistan administered Kashmir, no one would say anything. Talking to Indian insurgents is unacceptable.
If you want to go with the idea that the Indian Jammu and Kashmir is part of Pakistan anyway and therefore Pakistan can speak to anyone, then what is there to discuss with India. It is better talks are called off.
@Some1: It is not the mention of Kashmir that led to talks being called off. It is Pakistani envoy talking to Indian insurgents.
Apology accepted. This indiscretion is forgiven..
India has worldwide diplomatic momentum and it is up to Pakistan to make the first move. Pakistan has no choice now. The world will not put up with Pakistan fomenting terror in Kashmir any longer. Pakistan's equation with the rest of the world is at its lowest ebb since 1947. India can afford to just sit back and watch Pakistan wallow under the weight of its own problems.
Imagine if the Indian Ambassador had talks with Balochi separatists before crucial talks with Pakistan !!
Kashmir is a part of Pakistan as much as Baluchistan is a part of India. Pakistan has the same right to meet the separatists in Kashmir as India has meeting with Baluchi, SInhi and Pakhroonwa nationalists. My two cents worth - for all of Bilawal Bhutto's bravado, India is not going to give you inch single square inch of land in Kashmir or an additional drop of water. The world does not care and Pakistan can hardly do anything to force us. Move on and find something else to get riled about, This one is a lost cause.
Mr Aziz shame on you. which idiot has pointed you as adviser to PM. Please keep your opinion to your self. Kashmiri people are human like any body else.. No one ask them what they want ? They want to be independent state and have good relation with Pakistan and India. It should be peoples choice to Join India or Pakistan. United Nation and the rest of the world would have helped if they were Non Muslim,like South Sudan or East Timur, where population is Christians. Whole world worked for their independence. Mr Azis if you are a gentleman Please resign.
Sartaj Aziz is the same gentleman who being in the govt of NS had opposed the nuclear test by Pakistan in response to India's test. So we can understand his mindset. He earlier served military government of Ziaul Haq then that of his political son NS, We cannot expect him to be true to the interests of Pakistan. So it is is useless discussion.
Why does Pakistan need permission from anyone to meet with a fraternal Muslim leader of another Muslim majority region? Pakistan and Kashmir are both part of the Islamic world, and they are united in more ways than just religion. Culturally, Pakistan and Kashmir are the same.
The real question is when will India meet with Kashmiri leaders on the basis of equality, justice, and sovereignty, and stop ignoring Kashmiri aspirations and rights. Kashmiris are free to meet with anyone they please, and India has no say in it, especially if India doesn't have the moral decency to treat Kashmiris like human beings.
@Asif: You had a meeting with them in Delhi-india not pakistan. So yes you have to take permission, and in this case it's a big fat no. How silly of you to even ask such question. Want to meet them? Meet them in your own country for tea not our land. In our land we recognise the elected govt by people of Jammu and kashmir as representatives not fringe other country backed millitant elements. Btw will you allow us to meet Baloch separatist and invite them for tea party before indo-pak meet in Islamabad pakistan?
@unbelievable:
India is occupying Kashmir.
Kashmir is NOT part of India, the sooner you Indians realise that the better.
Sartaj Aziz is just embarrasing.
I have to say I think Imran would have managed India substantially better than Nawaz Sharif.
Out of interest, does Mr Sartaj Aziz advise the Indian Govt not/when to meet the Northern Alliance or Hamid Karzai?
Mr Aziz please drink your coco, put on some comfy slippers and retire.
Sartaj Aziz's so-called admission of ill-timing is a veil thrown over his shrewd political move to keep the door ajar for meetings with the separatists in the future. What has been a regular practice for the past 30 years doesn't make it right, particularly when India's new Administration sent a clear message against continuing with such practice.
Going ahead with the meeting with a misguided separatist just because the individual had already arrived at the Pakistan High Commission is a pathetic argument. Sartaj Aziz's statement bares open how Pakistan views its priorities vis-a-vis India. He didn't have to lose his credibility by offering such a lame excuse. All he needed to do was to admit that Pakistan tried to play hard and lost. It's clear that Pakistan failed to estimate India's resolve for a pointed retribution by cancelling the Secretaries level meeting. Still, not much is lost but this incident should serve as a lesson to Pakistan on how to approach India in the future.
Wow !!! How far are we going to go in appeasement...Its as if Pakistan is trying to mend ways with a disgruntled girlfriend/wife & not a country....
While they can "covertly" support insurgent groups in Pakistan, they can't digest if Pakistan "overtly" meets the Hurriyat Leaders...How Accommodating & Liberal Approach it is of our Loving Neighbors...
I think Kashmir is Part of Pakistan . We have to take appointment from India for any meeting.?
Sensible and candid admission. I'm surprised that pakistan could ever admit a mistake or concede to India's point of view. Welcome the statement but won't be surprised to read tomorrow that " Sartaj Aziz was misquoted".
Admitting you might have made a mistake is a first .. but a good start. It's a shame that even as of today you still don't seem to understand that meeting with separatist would be considered offensive by any country on the planet.
Utterly disgusted, for a dialogue process which will grind to a halt with the mere mention of the word Kashmir.
Pakistan is the world hypocritic country in its entire history. Pakistan army, its agencies, corrupt bureaucracy and politician has destroyed million of people and generations of generation. In worst destruction of Afghanistan, terrorism in Kashmir and Indian and around the region is just because of this single country. Its the worst breeding place and the big threat for we civilized world and countries. Millions of innocent kids and underage have been brain washed and use as tool for terrorism and destruction around the region particularly and in the whole world; middle east and Africa and Europe. But its quite amazing that even after making destruction of other countries and generations of generation....it doesn't build itself but as failed state.
That's what Indian government is saying from long time. now pak has accepted this, hopefully talk will resume soon.
Regrettably, this piece of news is stale in context of its topicality. Sartaj Aziz gave this interview three days back; Indian media ran it two days ago, and of course this esteemed paper. The Express Tribune, picked it up and used it late Sunday. But there is a lot of duplicity and deviousness in the remarks of Sartaj Aziz who, despite the barrage of criticism (of course, it was conveyed to him in a civil and polite manner!) and jibes pelted at him at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Friday was adamant by saying that India "should not have cancelled the foreign secretaries' talks". But he failed to mention that India had forewarned Pakistan's highly unpopular high commissioner in Delhi, Abdul Basit, that talks would be off if he received fringe elements of Kashmiri separatists who are despised by Kashmiris themselves. You cannot say that because this was allowed for the past many years, this unhealthy and insulting practice should continue. Imagine, if the Indian high commissioner to Pakistan invited Baluchi separatists (and their numbers are growing all the time, suggesting that things are getting worse) to meet him in Islamabad before Pakistan's foreign secretary heads for Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart. There is a perverted logic in Pakistan's argument which nobody accepts it internationally, as was also evident when Nawaz Sharif spoke at the UN and tried to beat an already dead horse called Kashmir. How long will Pakistan continue with this sob story which is sickening evening to many Kashmiris and Pakistani people (except for the military and the religious extremists who have their own personal agendas for harping on the issue)? It is Pakistan that is missing the opportunities to make peace and mend fences rather than India which can hold on with its principled position. Think, dear Pakistani brethren, who is losing in the end and should it be that way?
LOL so typical of Nawaz Govt bending down in front of the Indians like they always does. No self respect no any shame. One more reason to strictly belief in Go Nawaz Go phenomenon.
Shame on this minister who is more worried about Indian mood than the Maqbooza Kashmir!
what timing you are talking- there was not timing in your life to watch Pakistan interest because you were not employed to do so.You just eaten grass in your diplomatic for which your were never trained.you were the first to sit and grabbed(as told) Nawaz Sharif the next morning when won tempered election and you knew it well before.
Mr Aziz please start speaking and watching Pakistan interest rather embarrassing own people -in diplomacy one speaks for its own country-see India very smart tell lie in matters related to Pakistan. I thing sartaj aziz eaten grass in diplomacy for the last 50 years.
Still pakistanis will not accept they were wrong.