Hopes that Pakistan and India could leverage the SAARC summit for a ‘reset’, perhaps even stage a one-on-one between Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi, now appear overblown. The Ch Nisar-Rajnath Singh spat notwithstanding, Islamabad did everything but practically bend over backwards to facilitate the talks this time. Even after Singh left abruptly from the home ministers’ meeting, Dar sb assured extra special treatment for the Indian finance minister (for the end of month meeting) so the goodwill could be salvaged. But a series of statements from the other side indicate that New Delhi is in no mood, in the foreseeable future, to move towards serious discussions.
Prime Minister Modi has, sadly, been the biggest hurdle himself. No doubt he would have put some thought into his recent comments about Balochistan. That shows, in quite vivid detail, the kind of direction he is recalibrating his diplomatic machinery towards. And indeed the machinery is delivering. The defence minister has just equated visiting Pakistan with going to hell. And state minister for foreign affairs, MJ Akbar, has brought his journalistic eloquence nicely to the realm of foreign policy, drawing parallels between the ’71 war and “simmering Balochistan”. Rather than take the peace process forward, this is a tacit admission of a policy of interference in another country’s affairs.
In this backdrop it is no surprise, really, that the Indians are not open for talks on Kashmir. It was hoped that the indigenous nature of the last uprising in Kashmir would have made New Delhi realise that it cannot keep blaming Pakistan for all its failures in the valley. And its brutal response, especially, has alienated and embittered the local population even more. To expect this policy to bear fruit, especially since the international community continues to treat Kashmir as ‘disputed’, seems irrational, to say the least. The Indians have effectively put a stop to recent efforts towards peace. They now bear the responsibility of bringing it back on track. http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/08/18/comment/relations-with-india/
Comments are closed.