Back to Square one on Pakistan
[All the stale arguments, long debunked and exploded, are being repeated again, and proposals are being revived which have been rejected by the people as against national interest or impractical. The Central Government’s support for these proposals is being canvassed on the plea that these would procure us Pakistan’s friendship. It is high time now that all these self-anointed patrons of peace and justice, as wells as Pakistan itself and the international powers who keep giving us uncalled-for counsel about Kashmir were told in plain, unambiguous language that Kashmir is an indivisible part and parcel of India, and, come what may, there was going to be no compromise about it. In this matter, we cannot allow any intervention even by the UNO or any agency of its.
—Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in his Presidential Speech at Calicut in Kerala in December 1967]
This should be our guiding principle on foreign policy, especially with Pakistan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday confirmed that he would be meeting his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his visit to the US which began on Wednesday. Singh and Sharif are expected to meet in New York on September 29.
There are many pertinent questions unanswered on this meeting. The Prime Minister has claimed that he will raise the concerns about Pakistan sponsored terrorism with special focus on 26/11 perpetrators. This has been India’s concern for so many years. President Musharraf gave assurance to the then Prime Minister Vajpayee that Pakistan will not be allowed to used for abating terror against India. That promise is not yet fulfilled. Then why to start the talk at this juncture?
Every time India shows positive intention for dialogue, whether its Lahore or Agra, it is followed by a terror strike. Prime Minister Singh, who is losing out time on many domestic fronts, is entering into a difficult terrain of engaging Pakistan. This formula projecting self as contender for peace prize has already cost us many lives. The recent attacks in Jammu region reiterated this fact.
Paradoxically, Both the Prime Ministers are puppet PMs. Neither of them are in a position to take any substantial decision not they will be able to deliver what they will talk, then why to talk in New York. Engaging India in dialogue and simultaneously abetting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has been Pakistan’s strategy. Is Pakistan refraining itself from making noise about Kashmir in United Nations? If it is not, then the only meaning of this dialogue is both the leaders are meeting due to pressure of Obama administration. These unanswered issues are again showing India as a weak state on the world stage. Terror and talks cannot go hand in hand should be India’s consistent stand and unless Pakistan shows some significant intent to curb terror activities against India, there cannot be any meaningful dialogue process.
Statement
“All these years, since 2004, Pakistan has been indulging in cross-border terrorism, including the famous ones like the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Then, recently, we have seen their behaviour on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, which is totally objectionable. So, is this the right atmosphere and the right time to talk to Pakistan at the summit level?” Yashwant Sinha, BJP Leader
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