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| Jubilant Pak media, think tanks laud Sushma, advise Modi | | 'Core issue is Kashmir' | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 24: Pakistani media and think tanks are lauding the December 8-9 visit of Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad and also appreciating the change in the attitude of New Delhi towards Pakistan. They are, in addition, defending Sushma and her stand on dialogue between India and Pakistan and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve his "image in South Asia" by ensuring result-oriented talks between the two nations.
A leading Pakistani daily, Dawn, has lauded Sushma Swaraj editorially for what it called "her belief in the continuation of sub-continental talks". "It doesn't appear to be the same Sushma Swaraj who had issued an ultimatum to Sartaj Aziz in August to scuttle the national security advisers' talks," it has said following her statement in the Lok Sabha that defended her government's decision to have a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan because, saying war with Pakistan is not an option". The "shadow of terrorism", she had said, "could only be combated by dialogue with Pakistan and one meeting wasn't enough".
Defending Sushma Swaraj, the editorial has said: "Swaraj, of course, couldn't afford to utter the 'K' (read Kashmir) word while facing a hostile opposition, but she stoutly defended the resumption of talks. Two days earlier, too, she had spoken of her visit to Pakistan before an opposition which seemed to delight in flippancy", and added: "Given New Delhi's hard line since Narendra Modi's assumption of power last year, Swaraj's assertion that she believed in the continuation of the dialogue deserves to be welcomed, with the hope that India will not look for an excuse to wriggle out of the commitment".
As for Pakistani think-tanks, they have said why India's attitude towards Pakistan had changed and argued that "while Modi had a positive reputation in the West, his image in South Asia had suffered". "Better ties with Islamabad could fix Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image in the South Asia region," political think tanks in Islamabad have said. They took stock of what they termed as "recent transformations" in the region, beginning with what was described as "the tremendous re-set opportunity" with India.
"External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's call for 'uninterrupted dialogue' signaled a welcome and positive change in New Delhi's approach towards bilateral engagements," they said the other day during a conference titled "The Road to 2016: Negotiating Deadlock and Diplomacy with India and Afghanistan". "Improved relations with Islamabad could go a long way towards fixing his (Prime Minister Modi's) reputation in the region," they also said.
That Pakistani media and think tanks are lauding New Delhi speaks for itself. It's no wonder then that the India-based foreign policy experts have been questioning the Prime Minister Modi's foreign policy vis-à-vis Pakistan as well as J&K. they have been, in fact, urging him to review his whole Pakistan policy taking into consideration the Indian public mood. Many opposition parties too have been criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre has gone back on its declared policy that terror and talks could not go side-by-side.
As far as the nationalists in J&K, they rejected the New Delhi's foreign policy and policy towards J&K as "very dangerous". They have said: "We will not hesitate to confide our serious doubts about the policies which the Modi government has been devising and pursuing with regard to Pakistan and J&K. Compromises in J&K will neither win you (Prime Minister) a 'Noble Prize' nor will it win you a secular certificate. The campaign of indictment against you on the issue of 'intolerance' is being spearheaded by the same forces for whom you are seeking the certificate. Your U-turn on Pakistan is, in fact, a U-turn on the resolve of the nation to fight terror. While the international community is rising in its resolve and determination to eradicate international terrorism lock, stock and barrel, along with all its support structures, your government has chosen to do exactly the opposite. World is rising to the fact that the state of Pakistan is the actual epicenter of the Islamist terrorism. Your government has chosen to befriend it at this juncture of history. It is intriguing. Not only that, you have chosen to accord the status to Pakistan of a fellow victim of terrorism. This is plainly suicidal".
"The nation in general and particularly the nationalist people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have not given you the mandate to fiddle with the sovereignty and integrity of the Indian nation. Your government committed a grave blunder in Jammu and Kashmir by making common cause with the pro-Pakistan and Pro-separatist PDP and you have to rectify this mistake by withdrawing not only the Agenda of Alliance but also by withdrawing support to the PDP led government in the state. Any failure on your part to do so would only culminate in a national revolt against your government and the BJP as it happened in May 2014 against the Congress and its allies," they have also said.
It is hoped Prime Minister Modi would appreciate the concerns of the Indian foreign policy experts and nationalists in J&K and revise his foreign policy towards Pakistan accordingly. |
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