The attack on Indian soldiers which left five dead couldn’t have come at a worse time for both India and Pakistan which had recently proposed dates for resumption of dialogue that remained stalled since the January ceasefire violations. It left many red-faced in India, too, as New Delhi had responded positively not only to Pakistan’s proposal for a meeting between PM Manmohan Singh and his counterpart Nawaz Sharif – on the sidelines of UNGA in New York in September — but also for talks on Tulbul Navigation Project/ Wullar Barrage and Sir Creek issues. The government here said that both sides were finalizing “mutually convenient dates” in late August and September for these talks. Indian sources said on Tuesday that the latest incident of ceasefire violation has brought the proposed talks under a cloud even though they refused to spell out what action New Delhi could take diplomatically.
One option, of course, is to harden India’s position on 26/11 attacks, asking Pakistan to expedite the trial that continues to move at glacial pace. As former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal said, India should not be in any hurry to announce dialogue with Pakistan before the two PMs meet. He felt India should make grant of MFN status and speedy trial of Mumbai accused pre-conditions for any talks with Pakistan.
“Both these issues have been discussed for a long time and there is no reason to delay this. And when the meeting takes place in New York, our PM should be able to gauge what response India is likely to get on these issues,” reasoned Sibal, adding that Sharif can create right conditions for resuming dialogue by responding positively on these two issues. Former Indian ambassador to Pakistan and strategic affairs expert G Parthasarathy said before exercising any diplomatic option, India should actually allow the Army to respond. “The Army should be allowed to respond at a time and and place of its choosing. This attack can’t be ignored,” he said.
While Sharif has indicated that dialogue should be taken up from where it was left off in 1999, Parthasarathy said India must make it clear to him that there is no question of return to that stage until the time Pakistan ensures that the territory controlled by it is not used for terrorism against India and that infiltration is brought to an end. “We should also make it clear that we expect firm action against the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks. Pakistan has to respond constructively and we must await their response before we finalize dates,” he added.
Post By: Sujata Bhau
