Trump adds more fuel to the fire
Despite bitter differences Pakistan and India remained on talking terms till the middle of 2016. After September last year however a long period of bilateral disengagement set in. Indian security forces had already failed to suppress the mass uprising in occupied Kashmir triggered by the killing of Burhan Wani in July. Despite repressive measures including the recourse to pellet guns, the movement spread to areas in the Valley which had so far remained untouched by the unrest. In the first week of September an all-party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Sigh which had come to talk to all stake holders returned from Srinagar without achieving any breakthrough. Soon after militants attacked an Indian Brigade headquarters near Uri killing 19 soldiers. India which was mired in occupied Kashmir called Uri the last straw and broke off all talks with Pakistan. This was followed by a so called surgical strike. Exchange of fire across the LoC and the working boundary have subsequently continued month after month.
At a London School of Economics exchange of views, Former DG ISI General (R) Ehsan-ul-Haq and the former RAW chief Amarjit Singh Dulat have urged talks between the two counties. They stressed the need for the agencies from both sides to remain in touch even when formal talks between the neighboring countries remained suspended. According to Dulat even in the worst days of the Cold War, the CIA and KGB talked to each other and it saved the world from a world war.
While talks between the two countries are the only way to reduce the rising tension in the region, new complications have been created by the Trump administration’s strategy that links Afghanistan with the US South Asia policy thus further deepening regional tensions. The opposition to One Belt One Road by the US has also encouraged the BJP government to toughen its stand. The US policy is thus further complicating the situation in Afghanistan and South Asia. Pakistan needs to take up the matter with the US officials who are to visit Islamabad in coming weeks.
India will not talk till all cross border terror attacks stop. That is new stated policy of India. I doubt any one will be able to force India to talk to Pakistan in today’s world. Every one has its own issues at home. No one cares for some Kashmir which is part of Nuclear armed 1.3 billion strong India. People understand the eventual outcome of this conflict.
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