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| India, Pak nowhere closer to resuming peace talks | | |
Early Times
New Delhi, Sept 28: Despite a two-hour-long meeting between Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan held Sunday in New York, the two sides appear to be nowhere near resuming the dialogue process that had to be abandoned ever since 26/11 Mumbai attack.
Yet the Sunday's interaction between Mr SM Krishna and Shah Mahmood Qureshi does not rule out similar confabulations at the highest levels between the two neighbours whenever an opportunity arises at any other international fora or events.
Saying this foreign policy experts here point to the possible visit by Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and Pakistan President, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, to Washington in November where the two sides can again have an opportunity to talk further about resuming dialogue and sorting out problems between the two countries.
In the meantime the two sides have the onerous task to soothe the frayed tempers and public opinion on each side of the border, if the dialogue process which is better known as their foreign secretary level talks is to be formally resumed.
India would like action from Pakistan against Lashkare Tayyaba operatives whom it accuses of masterminding Mumbai attack. This can help in "cooling down" frayed nerves over here, point out experts.
As for Pakistan the meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Maulvi Umar Farooq on Sunday in America points to the importance Pakistan attaches to Kashmir. Mirwaiz has also been invited by Mr Zardari to visit Islamabad. This is indicative of Pakistan's desire to present a case vis-à-vis Kashmir with local support from this (Indian) side of the borders.
According to experts this has twin motives. Firstly Pakistan wants to revive 2006 peace formula mooted by the former President and Mr Zardari's predecessor, General Pervez Musharraf, besides dealing directly with different factions of Hurriyat leadership individually so as to take them on board before actually dealing with India on their behalf. Thus, Pakistan may try to woo the Jamate Islami leader and Hurriyat hardliner, Mr Syed Ali Shah Gilani, as well. Mr Gilani of late has been expressing his reservations about US as well as the present leadership in Pakistan supported by America.
Experts point out that Pakistan would like either Mr Gilani to get isolated in the wake of his hard stance not only against India but also against Pakistan and US or would try to take him on board in what it calls its peace process for Kashmir as per General Musharraf plan which is based on security and economic safeguards without changing present political boundaries of the State.
In the past India had shown some interest in Musharraf fourmula which could not take off from the drawing board stage because Musharraf has been increasingly getting unpopular in his own country and this was followed by Mumbai train blasts in July 2007. Yet recent moves by India like allowing Mirwaiz to travel to America to attend Islamic Organisations Conference (IOC) in New York besides making contacts with Pakistani leadership is indicative that efforts to revive 2006 peace plan have not completely been shelved.
Somehow this is not so in case of Mr Ali Shah Gilani who has been put in house arrest in the wake of his moves to whip up tempers after Shopian rape and murder case besides asking people to take to streets to force Army to vacate lands in the Valley where they have been setting their camps.
Not just New Delhi but Pakistan too prefers a moderate like Mirwaiz Maulvi Umar Farooq over a hardliner like Mr Gilani. India too wants to talk to Hurriyat leaders directly and the Union Government has of late been showing such inclinations on the part of its Home Ministry through media reports.
Moreover, Dr Manmohan Singh is expected to visit the Valley in near future to open the newly laid railway track between Qazigund and Anantnag. His visit would closely be watched as this could well turn out to be an occasion for political positioning vis-à-vis Kashmir.
Yet India would first like to see some visibly determined move on the part of Islamabad against the suspects of 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Experts point out that Pakistan has been dragging its feet since the attackers and their mastermind and mentors belonged to Punjabi dominated Lashkare Tayyaba whom Islamabad has also turned against Taliban from border North-Western Frontier Province. Had Mumbai attackers been Baloch or from NWFP or even Kashmir action against them could have been swifter given the demographic, political and regional equations that Pakistan has today.
In any case India would like Pakistan to rise to its solemn assurances given umpteen times not just to India but to the world at large to fight terrorism irrespective of its origins, source and affiliations. And the sooner Islamabad comes clean in this respect by acting against perpetrator of Mumbai attack, the better, say experts and Pakistan watchers here.
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