Former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti's appeal to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to respond positively to new Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan's willingness to mend fences with India is a double edged weapon. First, she wants to appease the new Government in Islamabad and secondly, that too quite important, she wants to check the ersosion in the vote bank of the PDP. She has learnt from the National Conference that making a pro-Pak statement is a gain for any regional party. That is why she has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reciprocate positively to Imran Khan's friendship gesture from Pakistan. In her first public appearance after the break-up of the PDP-BJP government, a confident Mehbooba has said Modi needed to rise to the occasion and think beyond elections. "I would like to make an appeal to Narendra Modi ji. Pakistan is getting a new government and a new Prime Minister. He (Imran Khan) has made an offer of friendship with India through a dialogue. I want to appeal to Modi to respond positively to the offer," Mehbooba said at the PDP's foundation day function here.
A large number of party workers from across the Valley attended the rally at Municipal Park, though the five rebel MLAs and two MLCs stayed away from the function. Mehbooba stressed any dialogue should not become a hostage to elections. "Vajpayee ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) offered a hand of friendship to Pakistan before the 2004 elections and announced a ceasefire on the border. A big leader does not think about elections, he thinks about the people," she said, adding, "J&K has been the biggest challenge for any Prime Minister of the country. Whichever Prime Minister resolves this issue within the ambit of humanity, stop bloodshed and improve the situation with Pakistan, his name will be written in golden letters in the annals of history"
India has already responded favourably to Imran's offer for friendship. But India has put a rider on Imran's offer. India has already told the new Government to stop export of terror to India, particularly to Jammu and Kashmir. In its first reaction on general elections in Pakistan, New Delhi has hoped the new government in Islamabad will work constructively to build a safe, stable and secure South Asia "free of terror" and "violence".
India has welcomed that the people of Pakistan have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections. New Delhi hopes that the new government of Pakistan will work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia free of terror and violence. Well Imran may be a man of good ideas and intentions. But he may be again under the thumb of political pressure that could be put on him by bureaucrats and other politicians. Since Imran has not secured absolute majority he could be a prisoner in the hands of his allies. He has to go by the wind blowing in Pakistan and that wind indicates animosity with India. |
