Let Pak Create conducive atmosphere for resumption of bilateral talks

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Let Pak Create conducive atmosphere for resumption of bilateral talks

4/21/2015 12:24:09 AM

Once again Islamabad has renewed its plea for the resumption of India-Pakistan talks.It has been doing so in the past but has yet to initiate steps that could motivate New Delhi for reopening the channels of dialogue.It seems that for keeping its record straight Islamabad is trying to rake up the issue of resumption of bilateral talks: And this time Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has expressed wonder at the inordinate delay by India in resuming foreign secretaries-level talks between the two countries and urged New Delhi to start the dialogue for resolving various issues for creating peace in the region. He has tried to portray Islamabad as gentle as a lamb when he refers to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's post 2013 general elections speech in which he had announced an economic and social development road map for the country through developing good relations with the neighbours, including India. Under this policy, the premier went to India and took part in the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During their meeting on May 27 last year both premiers agreed to resume talks at foreign-secretaries level. And on Aug 25, India conveyed to Pakistan about sending its foreign secretary to Islamabad in this regard. It is either height of ignorance or innocence when Sartaj Aziz feigns any knowledge about the circumst ances that had forced India to cancel the foreign secretary level talks.And Aziz should know it better than others that when a country like India decides to cancel the proposed talks there is no need for India to consult Pakistan.He is supposed to know the factors that had forced India to cancel the bilateral talks.And one of the factors was Pakistan High Commissioner, Abdul Basit's invitation to Kashmiri separatists for talks in the embassy premises in New Delhi when Basit had been told in clear terms that he should not interact with the separatists. Also, Pakistani troops had resorted to repeated ceasefire violations on the LOC and on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir had provoked India to call off the talks And Sartaj Aziz wants to know why talks have been suspended when the new Indian foreign secretary had visited Pakistan on March 3 this year as a good will gesture.In fact Aziz wants formal talks to begin as early as possible. Pakistan has condemned what it calls use of brute force against protesters in Kashmir recently and such interference in internal matters of India cannot motivate New Delhi to resume talks. Here again Aziz is the right person to decipher the reasons that have delayed resumption of bilateral talks. Has Islamabad created an atmosphere which could be construed to be conducive for holding the bilateral talks ?No certainly not.The way JuD chief,Hafiz Saeed,has been spitting venom against India adds to the level of mistrust between the two sides. Saeed's latest outburst against India on its policy on Kashmir and his support to Masarat Alam a dreaded separatist, who was rearrested for inciting people to violence are issues that will never motivate India to reopen the channels of dialogue. India wanted action against Hafiz Saeed for his involvement in the Mumbai mayhem in 2008 but Islamabad has allowed him full freedom for roaming freely in Pakistan. That Islamabad did not initiate fresh action against Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi who too had masterminded the Mumbai terrorist strike is another instance of unfriendly stance being adopted by Pakistan. He was released under the court order but the Government in Islamabad could have rearrested him under fresh charges but it was not done and still Pakistan makes repeated pleas for resumption of bilateral talks.Though bilateral talks may not produce any tangible results but if Islamabad wants to discuss various issues in the talks it should first of all create an atmosphere conducive for bilateral dialogue.

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