Dealing with Modi’s India

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And a very clear regional policy

 

Few expected Modi’s rise across the border to go smoothly for Pakistan, even if the prime minister went to his inauguration brimming with hope of a better trade future, if nothing else. But Nawaz had not yet left Delhi that Modi’s position began becoming clear. Few people, on this side especially, failed to decipher the body language behind their foreign secretary’s rather ungracious, and unannounced, press conference. Nawaz probably regrets going the extra mile and not meeting Hurriyat leaders while in Delhi, not the least because Hurriyat has become the latest feature in India’s irrational demands.

Delhi’s demand, that Islamabad must choose between it and Hurriyat is a marked departure even from India’s stated position of many years. Pakistan has always kept Hurriyat in the loop, and Nawaz was the first head of state not to meet them in Delhi. In the past, Indian governments have also facilitated Pak-Hurriyat interaction, which is why the new policy is so radical. The BJP government is clearly cashing in on anti-Pakistan sentiment, and importantly, the initiative is not confined to its borders.

In the international arena too, especially in Afghanistan and America, India has made serious top-level noise about problems associated with Pakistan. Kabul has been hostile since Karzai came to power, but signs from Washington, of late, have been worrying. They are, finally, shouting louder than ever about Pakistan’s links with terrorism. Hopefully, concerns expressed to the US ambassador will be taken at face value in Washington, and the superpower will avoid taking such an obvious, and controversial, position on such sensitive matters when the regional situation is far from normal.

It is also becoming clear that India’s new government has decided to squeeze Pakistan out of the core-issue debate. And not only will it leverage whatever international backing it can to isolate Pakistan, its policy is also triggering favourable reaction inside India, which means Modi’s resolve will only be strengthened. Pakistan now needs to take a number of steps urgently. Firstly, the cabinet shuffle should produce, at least, a full time foreign minister. And there should be no two views about soft issues taking the lead till a time when disagreements too can be debated. The need for greater people-to-people interaction, and more trade, cannot be overstated, but that does not mean accepting India’s irrational and unacceptable belligerence on core issues.

6 COMMENTS

  1. It may be a core issue for Pakistan. Not so for India. Why expect that India's old policies of mollycoddling our here-today-gone-tomorrow leaders would continue? Enough brainwashing our poor beleaguered polity. Time to invest in real, scientific education. Sooner we get our act together and stop all this stupid India hatred, better for all of us.

  2. People to people interaction and trade must stop. What is the point. There will be no peace between the countries for the next 1000 yrs. Indians never think of Pakistan.

  3. too much religion is the real issue here .. get rid of islam and you will have universal peace.. get rid of islam and you will make a paradise in your own backyard .. burn your korans for it is the BOOK OF EVIL AND DEAD !!!!

    • Mr.Sam, Any religion or holybooks do not teach voliences,especially Islam,maybe you are misunderstood.Islam is a peacefull religion.
      This whole world is based on captiliasm today, the greed is the only source of universal setback because the mighty powers do not
      want peace in this world,untill and unless they will not suceed to overpower small countries and keep on hold their nature assets.
      This is a game going on,Islamic countries are rich on nature assets,who fights who,nobody can define except the media,which is
      also under the influence of mightypowers,sincerity is no where.Money makes a mayer go,otherwise no people can afford to destroy
      there own country,people or peace in region.Islam is a peacefull religion and Quran is words of ALLA.You must correct yourself to
      comment on Islam or Quran.If you are a learned person,you must go on historical facts,divide and rule which dynasty had imposed on
      Indian subcontinent four hundred years ago.The same tactic is going playing on with Islamic states too now ,to grab there power,divide,rule,
      and con with there presious nature resourses.

  4. The priority for both countries should be development. All major regions of Asia( east asia ,ASEAN, GCC . . .) have lifted themselves out of poverty and backwardness. South Asia is stuck in the middle of the twentieth century. The current era may be the last chance for us . Our energy should be wholly devoted to improve the living standards of our people. All nations of the sub continent …. remember this—-
    "UNITED , WE STAND ; DIVIDED ,WE FALL"

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