| Resolve Kashmir to improve Indo-Pak relations: Imran | | Kashmir, Kashmir, Kashmir | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 13: J&K has, it appears, become Pak PM Imran Khan's obsession. He speaks on it almost daily and urges his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to come forward, start dialogue with Pakistan and resolve the 71 year-old issue to improve Indo-Pal relations. He doesn't talk about PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, which are legitimately Indian; he only talks about this part of J&K. In other words, PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, which have been under its illegal occupation since 1947, are, according to him, not disputed; only this part of the state is.
On Thursday, Imran Khan again raked up the so-called Kashmir issue and urged New Delhi to resolve Kashmir "in the interest of peace in the region". "I said the two steps on day one [after taking an oath], but I got such a bad response when meeting at the UN was canceled.
Why have such conditions for talks? As if there is no intention for peace. We will now wait for April after elections for talks," he said. After winning the elections in July, Imran Khan had said: "I really want to fix our ties. You take one step forward, we will take two".
But didn't Atal Bihari Vajpayee take a step when he traveled to Lahore in a bus? The result was Kargil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to Pakistan on December 25, 2014, and Pathankot happened in January 2015. How many steps New Delhi has to take for Pakistan to acknowledge that its intentions are good?
How many steps Islamabad has taken? Acting against criminals Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed, reining in the ISI, and restraining jihadists would need a complete transformation of Pakistani state and society, so to expect Khan to have done that in a short span would be unfair. But the least he can do is reciprocate the Indian gesture of giving the MFN (most favored nation) to India. This is Islamabad's international obligation. The new Prime Minister has not been able to take even this step which could improve trade between the two nations, which Pakistan is so desirous of.
Imran Khan's all claims sound hollow. His backers at home are the Army and the radical clergy, the most reactionary elements. His foreign policy, especially for India, is that of terror export. It is heartening to note that PM Narendra Modi has decided not to walk into the Khan's trap. It's time for exposing Pakistan, and not befriending the rogue Pakistan. Such an approach alone could bring the Kashmiri separatists to the nation's knees. |
|
