Need to resume talks with India

Political flexibility needed on both sides

Like Pakistan, India too realises the need to improve ties with neighbouring countries after brushes with harsh realities. Facing difficulties in seeking the membership of NSG despite the US support, New Delhi sent its foreign minister to Beijing to persuade China not to oppose its membership. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Sushma Swaraj spoke positively about Pakistan. She also said that India did not object to Pakistan becoming a member of the NSG. The Indian foreign minister mentioned the “warmth’ and “ease” in personal relations between Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif as important factors to resolve the issues between the two countries. As usual she predicated talks between the two countries on an end to terrorism. She reiterated New Delhi’s three point policy towards Pakistan: India wants to solve every issue through talks, the talks have to be strictly bilateral and terror and talks will not go hand in hand.

In essence there is no difference between the statement of Sushma Swaraj and the one given by Manohar Parrikar early this month except in tone. The one is conciliatory, the other provocative. Both indicate desirability of initiating the currently suspended dialogue provided there is no threat of terrorism. There is a perception that whenever talks between the two countries move towards fruition, a border clash or a terrorist attack sabotages the move. The terrorists are allowed to enjoy a veto power over peace movement.

Pakistan and India have a number of contentious issues that need to be settled, including the dispute over Kashmir. Attempts to resolve the issues through war have failed. The only way left is to settle them through talks. The talks need patience and involve give and take. Only the political leadership has the needed flexibility and patience to conduct them. There is a need on the part of other institutions of the state to fully cooperate with the government in its efforts to resolve the disputes.