Jaishankar’s decision to visit Pakistan for talks on cross-border terrorism, the Janata Dal (United) on Thursday said the “diplomatic channel” should always be kept open between the two countries even if the “political channels” are closed.
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Two days back, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry invited his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to visit Islamabad for talks on Kashmir that “has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan”, and that it was the global obligation of the two countries to resolve the issue. The letter highlights the worldwide obligation of both the countries, India and Pakistan, to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
However, Singh felt Modi’s deeper challenge is ensuring India has the allegiance of the majority of Kashmiris rather than growing resentment and resistance, much as Pakistan needs the Baluch to have a stake in the Pakistani state.
He said that despite a “great” effort to reach out to Pakistan by the Modi government, India has faced several terror attacks which have made “the relationship hard to grow”.
Rejecting Pakistan’s proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir, New Delhi said cross-border terrorism should be the focus of any dialogue between the two countries.
Pakistan was quick to rebuke the statements made by the Prime Minister.
References to Balochistan, Gilgit and PoK by Prime Minister Narendra Modi signals a change in India’s Pakistan policy, top American experts on South Asia have said as they sought more clarity on New Delhi’s new approach towards disturbed areas in Pakistan.
Pakistani rangers (wearing black uniforms) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officers lower their national flags during a daily parade at the Pakistan-India joint check-post at Wagah border, near Lahore November 3, 2014.
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The sharp exchanges have come after a seeming thaw in relations in December when Modi made an unscheduled visit to Lahore-the first by an Indian prime minister in a decade-to meet Sharif. The Chief Minister of Balochistan also rejected Modi’s remarks saying, “People of Balochistan are loyal and patriotic… they love Pakistan and will never support the nefarious designs of the country’s enemies”. “We have learnt to be patient and the mix of diplomacy and patience did see through hard situations”, said Jaishankar.
