And the root of all disputes
Nawaz’s to-and-fro with New Delhi has been instructive. Manmohan Singh refused to grace his swearing in ceremony, especially when the third-time prime minister repeatedly indicated his desire to normalise “roller coaster” ties with India. But he was more gracious with Modi, even though India’s stubborn bureaucracy – with the new setup’s knowledge, if not approval, of course – ensured a bitter after taste courtesy the foreign secretary’s less than courteous press conference; that too without informing the Pakistanis, and when Nawaz was still in Delhi. Yet the Track II was a mutual necessity. It ensured a graceful face-saving, besides placating moderate lobbies on both sides.
But then came the cross-border tit for tat. The LoC’s never quiet for long, but this time trouble reached Punjab, with mortar fire across the Sialkot border. The blame game, naturally, continues, and the Track IIis in danger, as usual. Pakistan’s response, however, has not been usual, finally. And surely the foreign office and the foreign ministry – which in case means the prime minister – have decided to bring core issues to focus with more vigour than the past to counter India’s old habit of introducing non-issues to divert attention.
And that, most likely, has resulted in the sharpness, of late, of Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit. He was pretty straight forward in settling the Hazif Saeed matter; it’s not Pakistan’s problem, after all, if an Indian journalist chose to meet the Jamat ud Dawa chief. And Islamabad really can’t help it if Delhi keeps crying foul but never presents actionable evidence against the man. That put an end to it, sure enough. And then they upped the ante. Kashmir is, without denying, the “root of all disputes” between Pakistan and India. And the friction, accusations, water problems, and mortar fire will continue so long as the valley remains disputed, and movement on it frozen. Of course, Pakistan can demand action while India continues to evade because for years the only sincere calls for progress have come from Islamabad. All that remains is for the issue to be settled according to international norms and laws. But however much the times demand an end to the lingering conflict, Modi and company have risen to the top on a fierce anti-Pakistan agenda, although simultaneous promises of economic revival mandate a degree of friendship with Islamabad. It is for India to balance these forces internally. Dragging Pakistan further into India’s mess will do neither any good.
