While it may be analysed as desperation, Pakistan’s persistence with finding a way forward with India through dialogue on the various bilateral issues constitutes a responsible diplomatic attitude. India’s so-called strike on Balakot in late February and its subsequent chest-thumping was retaliated with restraint by Pakistan. Instead of indulging in a tit-for-tat response, Pakistan adopted a de-escalation strategy. When downing two Indian jets – on yet another intrusion attempt – Pakistan returned a captured pilot to India in what was widely acknowledged as a peace gesture.
Knowing full well that dialogue is the only way forward for resolution of conflicts between two nuclear-capable neighbours, Pakistan continues to act in a spirit of goodwill. PM Imran Khan was quick to tweet congratulations to PM Narendra Modi over his party’s election victory. A couple of days later, the Pakistani PM telephoned his Indian counterpart and expressed his desire for both countries to work together for betterment of their peoples. However, India’s response was simply uncomplimentary: the list of guests to attend PM Modi’s coronation ceremony did not include the Pakistani PM. As if it was not enough, India ruled out an Imran-Modi meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek.
Pakistan’s quest for peace with India though continues. The goodwill messages, sent by PM Imran through personal tweets and telephone calls, have been followed by an official invitation for talks in a written note. The written communication stresses the need for the two sides to work together on the basis of mutual respect and trust so as to address the problems confronting the peoples of the two countries. It also highlights Pakistan’s vision of working for durable peace in South Asia with peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute. On the contrary, India goes ahead with pursuing a policy of dilly-dallying on the issue of peace talks, alongside continuing to fund terrorists to operate on Pakistan’s oil. While India may feel comfortably placed in the reigning global order, it must realise that it is the peace in the entire region that is held hostage to its intransigence.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2019.
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