The main Indian opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday welcomed Nawaz Sharif for his stated desire to improve ties with India, in what can possibly create space for Delhi to make fresh efforts in normalisation of ties with Islamabad, Indian media reported.
Congratulating Nawaz for his “historic electoral victory”, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said Pakistani PM-designate’s “statements on rebuilding relations with India are a positive sign”.
“Since Sharif has publicly stated to pick up the pieces of 1999 peace process we hope that the agenda for peace and stability in the region is not hijacked by vested interests operating from Pakistan. Keeping in view our past experiences with Pakistan, the BJP views Sharif’s statements with cautious optimism,” said the BJP chief ignoring the statement of one of his colleagues criticising Indian PM Manmohan Singh for inviting Nawaz to visit India.
“We hope Mr Sharif is able to walk the talk,” the BJP chief said.
Singh’s praise, if guarded, for the PML-N president’s declared intention can open up room for the UPA to consider a fresh peace initiative augurs well for a fresh effort to explore the possibility of improved ties with Pakistan.
Congress’s approach towards Pakistan has considerably been shaped by Congress’s fear of being accused by the BJP of a “sell-out” to the hostile neighbour. Congress’s wariness was the main reason why the government had abandoned the unorthodox method of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Sharm-el Sheikh in 2009, when he controversially agreed to put Islamabad’s allegations of Indian encouragement to insurgents in Balochistan on the bilateral agenda.
Indian officials also said that Congress had leaned hard on the government to ensure that it did not come off as weak in dealing with the recent Chinese incursion in eastern Ladakh.
With the party set to face off with the BJP in the assembly polls slated for November in the lead up to the 2014 parliamentary elections, apprehensions of the saffron outfit’s restricted government’s room to maneuver considerably.
Viewed against such a backdrop, the BJP chief’s statement opens up space for the government to respond to the friendly overtures from Nawaz Sharif who – both during the campaign and after his victory – has vowed to make a sincere effort for peace and not to let Pakistan be used as a launch pad for terror strikes against India, and has promised an inquiry into ISI’s involvement in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai as well as the Kargil aggression.
