Quite a knot
With Pakistan and India sticking to their respective positions, the likelihood of talks between the two NSAs in accordance with the agreed schedule appears to be remote. There was no immediate reaction from New Delhi when Sartaj Aziz announced that he would meet the Hurriyat leaders during the visit. Modi government then suddenly ordered the Hurriyat leaders invited to the reception at Pakistan’s High Commission to be detained in their homes, only to order their release within hours. It has now told Pakistan that Sartaj Aziz’s meeting with the Kashmiri leaders would not be appropriate.
Sartaj Aziz cannot cancel the customary meeting. Islamabad recognises Kashmiris as the third party in the dispute and the Hurriyat as the sole spokesman of the oppressed Kashmiris. The failure to mention Kashmir in Ufa declaration has already offended elements in the Hurriyat. Islamabad cannot allow a wedge to be created between Kashmiri supporters of self-determination and Pakistan.
Indian officials believe that the civilian government in Pakistan is under pressure from its army to walk back from the understandings reached last month between Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi in Ufa. Some reports from India suggest that Modi would not be compelled to call off talks again and that he might be having a surprise for Pakistan. Modi is already being accused by Congress of flip-flops. He can however afford to go ahead with talks even after Aziz has met the Kashmiri leaders as BJP dominates Parliament and enjoys widespread public support.
Meanwhile Pakistan has cancelled the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference after pressure from member states to invite the Speaker of Indian held Kashmir’s Assembly. This strengthens the view expressed by Khurshid Shah that Islamabad has failed to take up the issue of India’s continuing interference in Pakistan with the international community. Instead of telling Pakistanis that RAW was behind terrorist attacks in Karachi, Balochistan and tribal areas, the government should have taken the proof provided by its agencies to international forums which it has failed to do.
