Even as India and Pakistan discuss the implementation of new cross-LoC confidence building measures (CBMs), with progress stalled on key areas like trade and visa, it seems increasingly unlikely that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Pakistan any time soon.
According to the Indian Express newspaper, while the dialogue process continues ploddingly, the Indian premier’s visit to Pakistan seems highly unlikely. Singh has already made it clear that he will only travel to Pakistan if there are any “tangible results”, but there is very little progress on deliverable issues. Initially, Pakistan seemed ready to move full ahead on issues like trade and visa liberalisation, but lately Islamabad has been insisting on progress across “all” issues, which include Siachen and Sir Creek, the paper reported. “The PM cannot go to Pakistan as an independent actor, when there is no progress in any area,” said a senior government official.
Manmohan’s trip to Pakistan unlikely
