Pakistan

Foreign secretary meeting just talks about talks: Hina Rabbani Khar

Former foreign minister says Modi's government has given into hate mongers; encouraged an environment of hostility

Zehra Husain March 03, 2015

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar. PHOTO: PID

KARACHI: Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Tuesday that relations between India and Pakistan are at their lowest, while summing up the Indian foreign secretary's visit as "talks about talks".

"The foreign-secretary level talks are just talks about talks. How do they get to talk, who gets what pretext," Khar said in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune.

Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad Tuesday morning and met his counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry to discuss issues related to the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation.

Read: Ensuring peace and tranquility along border is vital: India foreign secretary

"The current talks are held under the shrouds of the 'Saarc Yatra'," Khar said, which she believed was largely unhelpful to the dialogue process.

"Look at the irony, in 67 years, we cannot even agree on what kind of dialogue to hold," the former foreign minister said.

"Pakistan-India relations are at their lowest," she said when asked if relations have improved since she held office as the foreign minister.

The former foreign minister hoped that Line of Control tensions and the 2003 ceasefire would be on the agenda but had little hope of progress from the Indian side. Sporadic outbreak of hostilities have bedeviled relations between the two countries in recent months.

"Narendra Modi's government has been overly cautious about India-Pakistan relations. To the extent of being scared," Khar said. "In the past one year, Modi's government has only given in to the constituency of hate mongers and they have encouraged an environment of hostility."

Read: Modi likely to use 'military force' if terror attack traced to Pakistan: former US diplomat

She said if Modi wants to be statesman he envisions to be then he needs to take up issues as they are.

"A government which is too scared to engage bilaterally does not realistically leave a lot of hope for relations to improve," Khar said.

"He invited Nawaz Sharif but that too under the garb of Saarc summit and then cancelled talks on a pretext that has never been used before."

"Every Pakistani high commissioner, foreign minister or prime minister has reached out and engaged with the Hurriyat and that is our official position," Khar said, adding that they have to be part of the dialogue process as Pakistan believes they are important stakeholders.

Read: Mufti Sayeed praises Pakistan on first day as Indian Kashmir CM

"Not recognizing them as such does not do any favour to anyone or to the dialogue process," the former foreign minister said.

She was, however, far more optimistic from the Pakistani side.

"Pakistan has recognized that there is no single source to its woes. India might be one of them but there are many others," Khar said.

"India, on the other hand, still likes to believe that Pakistan is its only nemesis. I am positive on Pakistan as it has shown it wants relations to improve."

Read: Army chief warns India on provocation along border

Former foreign secretary, ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh, said that even though the Indian foreign secretary’s visit has been termed a ‘Saarc Yatra’, the announcement by the Indian foreign office spokesperson that talks with Pakistan would cover all issues including Jammu and Kashmir indicates that there is a willingness on India’s part to resume discussions on all the issues that form part of the Composite Dialogue.

Read: Breaking the deadlock: Pakistan to offer India new CBMs

He said Pakistan's priority to end the breaches of the 2004 ceasefire agreement along the Working Boundary and the Line of Control (LoC) "is a necessary prerequisite for winning the internal battle that Pakistan is waging against terrorism and in the step-by-step success of which India has a stake."

COMMENTS (26)

Hasan | 9 years ago | Reply The narrative for India and Pakistan is set by egoistic Maniacs who terribly and completely fail to take count of the wishes of its people ! When Kashmir issue should be about demilitarizing the residential areas at least and giving provincial autonomy, democratic process and fair budgeted and federal provisions to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, we talk about whether the both of us recognize the Hurriyat. When talks should focus on developing trade and tourism on a model similar to the UN we talk about who violated the LoC first cease fire first. Neither side admits their mistakes neither side lets go of the Forced Mental inertia. With a ghost of the past clouding judgments and Egos and priding ruling the logic its only a waste of tax-payers money...

jssidhoo | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: Are you serious do you think any sensible businessman will try and trade with Central Asia through Pakistan & Afghanistan ...... nothing will ever get through it will all get looted en route.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Tony Singh | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: As routes from India to Central Asia goes through Pakistan so also the waters to Pakistan flows through India. Don't think you hold all the cards. IWT days are numbered. Remember that.

Indian Observer | 9 years ago | Reply @ASIM: My American friends and I heard Hina Rabani Khar talk once at an event in New York. One American friend remarked that this "man dressed as a woman has an incredible male voice". Being out of job and lost in obscurity, HRK has to now and then step into the ring and make some comments. But we love the words coming out of her mouth: we can have a good laugh, at least!

ASIM | 9 years ago | Reply Everyone knows they used to talk about your beautiful eyes and precious bags in those talks

PrasadDeccani | 9 years ago | Reply @Raisani: Yup, our glamor market attracts Pakistanis too.

PrasadDeccani | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: What you said is correct from your point of view. However, see it from our point of view too. Pakistan never gave us access to the route that leads to Central Asia during the last 67 years. It is not a case like India once used that route to its benefit and then Pakistan cut off access because of Kashmir dispute. If this were the case, then Pakistan would definitely be in an advantageous position. An access route via Pakistan which we never used is as good as one that was never there. We don't make any serious plans around such route and, it is not going to provide you a leverage to extract any concessions from us. I am not undermining the locational advantage you have, merely stating our point of view.

Hilarious | 9 years ago | Reply The previous talks were cancelled because Pakistan's High Commissioner went ahead with "consultations" with the Hurriyat. If the talks could go ahead this time without those "consultations", why could this not have been done before and the talks have been held as scheduled? Seems Modi's iron will has prevailed again. Pakistan will never again be able to provoke by "consulting" Hurriyat leaders before talks!

Way better | 9 years ago | Reply @Program: Shehzad Choudhry and Shamshad Ahmed are way better in expertise than Khar.

Program | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan needs a program for bettering relations with India. Having been a Foreign Minister one expects Khar to give us a positive program for moving Pak-India relations forward. At least, she should do better in giving us her views than, for example, Shehzad Choudhry and Shamshad Ahmed.

Superficial | 9 years ago | Reply @ObserverUSA: "Analysis, and explanation, without prescription is not very helpful." Shouldn't have you not qualified "analysis, and explanation" as superficial?

Sandip | 9 years ago | Reply Have you seen the US bother too much about Cuba? Even though Cuba is next door to US? Pakistan has come to acquire similar irrelevance for India in the larger scheme of things. And this irrelevance is something that Pakistan has brought upon itself by playing the terrorism card. India has given a clear message to Pakistan- keep playing your terrorism cards and become irrelevant or shape up, become civilized and then engage with us as civilized neighbours. The choice is clearly Pakistan's.

ObserverUSA | 9 years ago | Reply Ms. Hina Rabbani, please give Pakistan some positive suggestions as regards how Pakistan can get India to negotiate in good faith. Analysis, and explanation, without prescription is not very helpful.

Pankaj | 9 years ago | Reply @Rahul, Mako: Ms. Hina Rabbani n likes are the only reason left for Indians to have talks about talks.... otherwise there is no other genuine reason to left to have talks with Pakistan. I too agree with Mr. Aakar Patel.

Gp65 | 9 years ago | Reply @AsR: Yes RSS was accused of complicity in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination and tried and acquitted. Modi started Swaccha Bharat campaign on Gandhiji's birthday with a view to creat Swaccha Bharat by Gandhiji's 150th birthday. @raider: India is more focused on accessing east Asia through Myanmar. Even as far as central Asia is concerned, Iran's Chhabahar port and from there to Afghanistan is an alternative being worked on. You need to understand, Pakistan does not have a veto on India's vote.

Salim | 9 years ago | Reply @Rahul: "If you want to understand why India does not need to talk, read Aakar Patel." -- We are fully aware that you don't want to talk to Pakistan. You just want to troll Pakistani online forums; just another aspect of your Pakistan-obsession.

ObserverUSA | 9 years ago | Reply She said if Modi wants to be statesman he envisions to be then he needs to take up issues as they are. “A government which is too scared to engage bilaterally does not realistically leave a lot of hope for relations to improve,” Khar said. Modi is sitting pretty and does not have to talk to Pakistan as Pakistan would never accept leaving Kashmir as it is. What pressure can Pakistan bring about to make India talk and more importantly to negotiate meaningfully?

Mako | 9 years ago | Reply @Rahul: Instead of running astray chasing after Aakar Patel, you should follow M. K. Bhadrakumar. He is a career diplomat who has served for 29 years in India's foreign service and has served as India's ambassador to numerous countries including Pakistan. He has repeatedly blasted the Indian government for shooting itself in the foot by refusing to talk to Pakistan and then thinking it somehow inflicted some damage on that country. He insists India's core foreign policy interests cannot be secured without constructive diplomatic engagement with Pakistan and accommodation of Pakistan's legitimate national interests in Afghanistan.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply @Rahul: "We miss you Hina Rabbani Khar! In your time at least you added glamour to the talk about talks." Yes she might have added glamor to the talks but the world knows that India is the market of glamor, light n ..... So u guys are self-sufficient in that. Therefore, u better carry on with one of the largest source of your revenue generation and the main source of Indians' livelihood. And yes people here on ET know me as "Raisani", hope u won't forget :).

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Rahul: Who naive have you been inducted that India needs nothing from Pakistan, India will have to come to his feet for passages to central Asia through Pakistan which is constant building pressure on India but modi in hate narrative unable to cope with de-facto

Mukund | 9 years ago | Reply @AsR And how is this relevant now? Your country was founded by people who claimed Gandhi was a Hindutvadi. Talk about the pot calling kettle black.

Mukund | 9 years ago | Reply Thanks for the entertainment. Nothing new here.. Pakistan has been relentlessly pursuing peace single handedly since 1947. The whole world recognizes Pakistan to be a peace loving, innocent country. lol.

Rahul | 9 years ago | Reply If you want to understand why India does not need to talk, read Aakar Patel's article from 2 days ago in this newspaper. Real talks take place when both sides need something from the other. India does not need anything from Pakistan.

Rahul | 9 years ago | Reply We miss you Hina Rabbani Khar! In your time at least you added glamour to the talk about talks.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply only talks about talks, just the way it was in ur times. No Change.

AsR | 9 years ago | Reply well said. It was expected as Modi belongs to RSS, the very organization that celebrates the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi at the hands of Nathuram.

Replying to X