Pakistan

Nepalese journalists’ visit: ‘India’s hegemonic mindset keeping saarc in limbo’

Desire to make SAARC more effective is growing stronger among the smaller members of the organisation.

Express November 18, 2011

The desire to make SAARC more effective and result oriented is growing stronger among the smaller members of the organisation. They consider the settlement of the bilateral issues between India and Pakistan necessary to move towards the organisation’s goals, while most member states feel India’s hegemonic mindset is keeping SAARC in limbo. This impression was drawn from a discussion a delegation of Nepalese mediamen visiting Pakistan here at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), said a press release issued on Thursday.

The Nepalese journalists agreed that without the resolution of the Kashmir issue the regional body could not envisage its ultimate evolution into an economic confederation like the European Union.

IPRI’s Dr Noorul Haq stressed the need for India to have greater cooperation with the countries of the region instead of cozying up to distant super powers which had their own agendas and were not concerned with the region’s interests. He said that the smaller SAARC nations could use their joint influence on India to resolve its bilateral issues with Pakistan.

The Nepalese delegation sought Pakistani experts’ advice on the form of government Nepal should have after the monarchy as Pakistan has had the experience of both parliamentary and presidential systems. They were told that the presidential system could suit Nepal since they had a long association with kingship.

Answering a question about links between Nepalese Maoists and Indian Naxalites, the Nepalese media delegation said that the Nepalese Maoists’ sentiments for Indian Naxalites turned sour when the former opted to for peace with the Nepalese government. The Indian Naxalites are adamant on having freedom from India.

The Nepalese Media delegation was headed by Federation of Nepali Journalists President Shiva Raj Koirala.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2011.