Pakistan

Pakistan-India deadlock: Foreign policy wizards expect regional peace to suffer

Delay in NSA meeting not good for Pakistan, India; global implication seen

Azam Khan August 23, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign policy experts have decried the suspension of Pakistan-India dialogue, saying it was a “setback for regional peace”. The experts said they believe that both the neighbours would suffer because of the deadlock.

National Defence University’s Prof Dr Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema and South Asian affairs expert Dr Rasheed Ahmad Khan said that delaying the national security advisers (NSA) meeting was not good for regional peace.

Dr Cheema termed the Indian foreign minister’s preconditions for the talks “irrational”. He said that fixing preconditions was not a good idea.

“It’s just an attempt of [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi’s government to break free of the Ufa commitment under the pretext of Sartaj Aziz’s meeting with Hurriyat leaders.”

There is nothing wrong with Pakistan consulting with Kashmiri leaders before the bilateral dialogue with India, added Dr Cheema.

Dr Khan pointed towards possible global implications of the development. He said suspension of dialogue could have more implications for Pakistan, as US President Barack Obama has already expressed concern on the activities of banned outfits in Pakistan.

Kashmir issue

Peshawar University political science department head Dr AZ Hilaly said the “traditionally rigid attitude of India” reflected in the deadlock.

He said the Indian government wants to show the people that it has distanced Pakistan from the Kashmir issue.

“Dialogue should be meaningful. Now the American government’s stance has also changed towards South Asia. The US has asked Pakistan and India to talk on the Kashmir issue with each other.”

Dr Hilaly said it’s not easy for India to play with this issue internationally, as Pakistan is now a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and it has good ties with Russia.

Dr Cheema said: “Even if terrorism were on the agenda, Indian state terrorism in Kashmir will be on top of the programme.”

He said Pakistan could consult with anyone before the bilateral dialogue, but the Indian government has made it an issue. “Pakistan has no objection if India wishes to consult Kashmiri leaders before the talks.”

‘No miscommunication’

Expressing dismay on the regression in development of NSA-level talks, Pakistan Peoples Party Vice President Sherry Rehman said: “India should not stifle progress of bilateral talks by changing the rules of engagement.

If there was some miscommunication between the two countries at Ufa, it has surely been rectified.” Sherry said India was setting new preconditions for the talks.

“This is helpful neither for Pakistan nor for India. Smart diplomacy is not about such narrow windows for engagement.”

She said the meeting with Hurriyat leaders – the actual issue of contention in India – is a routine meeting that Pakistan refuses to take dictation on.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2015.

COMMENTS (30)

The Book Says | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan should teach India a lesson. They should shutdown its diplomatic offices in India, and let India beg to open them back. Yeah! True power! Please publish this, moderator. Thanks.

rocky | 9 years ago | Reply I think India want to keep the spirit of UFA , and want to talk every issue even the Kashmir one but in step by step not in one step.First let's remove violence first than another talks .Let us make an environment to talk.The both countries are brothers .we citizens of both the countries let's bring peace all together .

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

MOUTHPIECE | 9 years ago | Reply sir, terror and talks can't go hand in hand, but it seems contrast to pak's policy. compel through terror for talks seems a polity of pak. now pak is getting isolated in the world communities over terror after laden was airlifted dead by us army. it is high time, pak thought of own betterment through peace with neighbours.. .

hellboy | 9 years ago | Reply @shahid: @shahid: What you said is true.But it is the same indian constitutio that gives them every right to buy land get jobs learn in any indian university with quota.But in you case the punjabii have flooded the pok area that there is no say of the local populace.Even your so called pm of azad kasmir has no power. Try to listen and digest what the educated kashmiri saying about your country https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl5vUev-dcA

Ram Dargad | 9 years ago | Reply It was always possible for Aziz to discuss with his friends through video conferencing. Pakistan wanted to prove that their NSA can hold a meeting in India with anti-India people, in continuation with an the NSA meet which was called to build mutual confidence! How about meeting Uighar separatists during a visit to China.

Navin | 9 years ago | Reply I think pakistan is right kashmir was part of nsa talks by default as the discussion was suppose to b on kashmir and terror is part of that. pak has acceptedi it.

Navin | 9 years ago | Reply Sir first find time to read the joint statement of ufa...the way forward was to have firat meeting of nsa of both the countries to discuss all issues related to terror...kashmir will come later in foreign sec meet. Whats wrong with some of u in the understanding. Lets first remove terror which is affecting both the countries.

Menon | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan needs to learn diplomatic norms. No country goest to another country and meets with people causing internal problems. Until Pakistan learns diplomatic norms and learns to respect, talks should never take place. Of course, there is the Pakistan military which does not want any talks or solutions to any Indo-Pak problems. It is not in their best interest India should just focus on its development agenda and put more potent weapons at LoC and forget about talks.

Appan | 9 years ago | Reply As expected the talks are called off Sad indeed It is evident the Nawazbhai had agreed to NSA level talks on terrorism without considering the domestic compulsion (read Army, opposition parties, Mullas and the terrorists) on whom he has no control. Eliminating terrorism and improving trade relations will immensely help both countries. They are "Low hanging fruits" which can easily be "plucked". Let us pray GOD that politicians read and lead the minds of right thinking citizens of both countries.

shahid | 9 years ago | Reply @Vectra: Read your Hindus-tan Constitution Article 370 and the Instrument of Accession by Hari Singh.. Dont just Listen and React, please do go Read and Analyse; Read your Constitution, and enlighten yourself of the rules and law of your land, They are Kashmiris, not the so called Hindu-stanis aka indians; You dont even have the right to buy or own a house, shop, business or land in J&K as Hindu-stani citizens. You cannot even participate in their elections as a candidate, or even cast a single vote; you cannot be domiciled as J&K citizen as you are Hindu-stani aka indian citizen.. Go, read and learn. Only the citizens of J&K have this right under the Constitution of J&K..; By your act shown now, you have just proven that you are occupier force with more than 700,000 troops in J&K and putting all under curfew every night.. and killing unarmed women and children just throwing stones.. This is what you are;

shahid | 9 years ago | Reply @Joe: Still dreaming are you ?? its wake up time, by the time you come to your senses and see the reality on the ground, the whole demographic change and paradigm shift is going to be in effect and a new world diktat in this region will be in place.. Your shortsighted micro vision keeps focused on Pakistan, and yes, Pakistan will be be one of the team players who will call the shots; along with Russia, the CIS states and China; For you Hindus-tanis just one line- the TAPI line is enough to make you fall in line.. Tajiks, Byelarus, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Azeries, all are on board and already jumped on the bandwagon of the Triad. US already is pleading to get Mobil, Chevron, Exxon Shell be a part of it; All the energy corridor lines, railways, road network oil-gas-LPG are to be laid by Russia, as they requested this contracts be given to them; YES, shots will be called by the Triad as we say it, Russia, Pakistan and China;

observer | 9 years ago | Reply A. A meeting in New Delhi between the two NSAs to discuss all issues connected to terrorism. B. Early meetings of DG BSF and DG Pakistan Rangers followed by that of DGMOs. C.Decision for release of fishermen in each other’s custody, along with their boats, within a period of 15 days. D. Mechanism for facilitating religious tourism. E. Both sides agreed to discuss ways and means to expedite the Mumbai case trial, including additional information like providing voice samples.” Both the Prime Ministers had agreed on the above framework for talks in Ufa. Please note, there is no Hurriyat and no Kashmir. WHO prompted Aziz to act otherwise? Find out and you have your culprit.

Harder | 9 years ago | Reply @Vinod Sir your media person Sidharth Rajan said India should always anticipate that Pakistan will always talk about Kashmir...... Talking with hurrayat shouldnt be an issue

Ashish Chaudhary | 9 years ago | Reply India has nothing much to gain from Pakistan , except few kawwali sufi progs, cricket matches and some Aman ki asha photos.....so we are not interested in these useless things,, it'd be better if spend our time n energy on better things

expert | 9 years ago | Reply Talks Are no talks There will be no peace between hostile neighbours in near future as both doubt each other.

VINOD | 9 years ago | Reply "There is nothing wrong with Pakistan consulting with Kashmiri leaders before the bilateral dialogue with India, added Dr Cheema." I am surprised as to how come Dr Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema being Prof at National Defence University is not understanding the difference between "BILATERAL DIALOGUE" as the term used in context of India and Pakistan and this meeting and also two others agreed, signed and announced at Ufa by two prime ministers. From where has bilateral dialogue come in. Please let this appear on the board so that we can learn the answer.

Sad but true | 9 years ago | Reply When NS went to crown PM Modi to the Premiership, he said that he will not meet Hurriyat leaders so that he can have a fresh approach with India. He set the ball rolling and we are just following it.

VINOD | 9 years ago | Reply Insistence on meeting with Hurriyat or inclusion of Kashmir problem is irrelevant for this meeting of NSAs. As NSAs are too low a level to discuss issues like Kashmir that has international ramifications and decisions at highest level has to be taken. Even NSA level is not adequate for discussing modalities of such a meeting that has to be minimum foreign secretary level. In this case, as agreed, signed and read at Ufa this first meeting amongst NSAs was to discuss problems of terror then second meeting was to be held between DG BSF and his counter part and the third between DGMOs. So let us rethink what has happened and why?

KashmirIsKing | 9 years ago | Reply Cancellation of talks embarrasses India as it has failed to demonstrate its ability to exercise smart diplomacy to bring Pakistan to dialogue on any matter. Running scam stories on Indian media has failed to get any attention on international level. Not a single international leader has taken notice of the whole Indian circus because they know Indian external affairs office is playing to its domestic constituents by creating media hype. Bottom line, Indian government and its population can not keep keep Kashmir as internal issue or no-issue. Indian constitution article 370 clearly stipulates what India needs to do to resolve this territorial dispute. This J&K territory is the only geographical location occupied by India which does not constitute a sovereign land of Indian nation.

VINOD | 9 years ago | Reply Sir, These meetings in spite of all sincere efforts will never occur. Whenever there will be an attempt to normalize relations the same forces in Pakistan who have wrecked every attempt so far, including this one, by age old tried methodology will blow the attempts. Reason is simple that is if normalization occurs what will happen to them? Kindly see closely the sequence of events in Pakistan from the day the agreement was signed by Mr. Nawaz Sarif at Ufa.

KashmirIsKing | 9 years ago | Reply India is talking too much rubbish. All they have to do is to publish Ufa agreement to start with establishing their assertion that Pakistan is in not complying with it. Secondly, if they feel they have tangible evidence against Pakistan involvement in any of the terrorist attack that took place recently in India, then international criminal court and Interpol ought to be contacted. Thirdly, before stating that Kashmir is a non-talking point, all Indian and their parliamentarians need to do is to review their constitutional article 370, which maintains J&K as a disputed territory. Unlike previous BJP leaders, Modi is the most careless politician who has inadvertently confirmed India's role in meddling in East Pakistan and creating terrorists who committed genocide in 1971 war. Good luck to India with winning UNSC seat with current brinkmanship.

ajeet | 9 years ago | Reply So its Pakistan being a member of SCO, Russia selling three helicopters, Chinese CEPC investment and Ghani's overtures and Nawaz Sharif's troubles that has emboldened the deep state to provoke India. The deep state is deeply mistaken. Russia is using Pakistan to make sure India doesn't get too close to USA. Ghani will change tact soon as deep state can't deliver what he wants. China will now fins that India Pakistan rivalry will make SCO a useless organization like SAARC.

RT | 9 years ago | Reply @Faruq Actually they do control the game, just look at how it happened. India said talks on our terms or no talks. Pakistan had no option but to cancel the talks. Talks or no talks works in India's favor.

Vectra | 9 years ago | Reply “Dialogue should be meaningful. Now the American government’s stance has also changed towards South Asia. The US has asked Pakistan and India to talk on the Kashmir issue with each other.” This is very much visible in US where US Threatens to Withhold Pakistan Aid and campaign growing against pakistan.

Vectra | 9 years ago | Reply "There is nothing wrong with Pakistan consulting with Kashmiri leaders before the bilateral dialogue with India, added Dr Cheema." There may be nothing wrong for pakistan but for India this is definitely wrong and India has the sovereign right to stop anyone anytime and anywhere as hurriyat are present on Indian soil not in pakistan.When pakistan govt allowed Hafeez saeed and lakhvi to roam freely and preach venoms against India and India protests it, where is you logic of your so called "There is nothing wrong in it"

Faruq | 9 years ago | Reply If they Indians think that they control this game, we'll take our ball and go home. End of story.

Tepper | 9 years ago | Reply Well India doesn't really care. PM Modi is extracting millions of dollars of investments from countries capable of investing and profiting from India's rise. In other countries, India is itself investing. It s a no brainer which country would the international community support. One in which they have investments or one which has no credibility internationally and only has a nuisance value to this world By hiding Mulla Omar's death for 2 years to buy time to stabilize the Taliban has further alienated people who were still willing to Pakistan a chance.

Joe | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan does not call the shots in South Asia. It inclusion or exclusion does not effect regional peace.

Asad | 9 years ago | Reply India running away..

mahakaalchakra | 9 years ago | Reply Any talks between India and Pakistan, if and when, will be first about cross-border terrorism. Kashmir will of course remain on the back burner whose flame has been extinguished by India. India is a status-quo power and many times more powerful than Pakistan in terms of military, economy and diplomatic clout among the comity of nations. No amount of johri or neutron bums stored by Pakistan army can deter India; this bloated army of Pakistan will eventually destroy Pakistan. India has to keep the dispute managed without going to a war to avoid damage to economy. Pakistan does not have the wherewithal to attack India on large scale. Non-metallic (Islamic) items cannot be welded to any non-believer iron brother to make it stronger.

Replying to X