Analysis

Why PM should Meet Nawaz!

After the latest Pakistan terror attack across the ceasefire line it is all the more essential for the Prime Minister to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif in New York as scheduled in late September. Mr. Manmohan Singh should meet Mr. Sharif to deliver his final ultimatum face to face.

Readers might recall that on August 2nd it was stated in these columns that continuing the Indo-Pak dialogue is futile unless there is tangible evidence that Pakistan is prepared to stamp out terrorism from the region.

I wrote:

“Settling irritants and furthering people to people contacts as a prelude to attempting peace is meaningless. Such efforts can continue for decades and get periodically derailed whenever vested interests supporting terrorism choose to sabotage progress…. The credible intent by Pakistan to eliminate terrorism will not be demonstrated merely by suitable legal action on 26/11… It will be demonstrated only if the Pakistan army … accepts in principle that it will enter into joint defence with the Indian army.”

Possibly New Delhi conveyed something to the Pakistan government through back channel diplomacy. On August 5th The Hindustan Times conducted an interview with the Pakistan Prime Minister’s adviser on security and foreign affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz. He told the paper that India and Pakistan will shortly resume talks and New Delhi has not pre-conditioned them to the progress in the 26/11 case. He said that India had conveyed its verbal confirmation on resuming talks by early September. He added: “India is being responsive and there is no pre-condition that has been put forth on connecting the dialogue process with progress in the Mumbai attack trial.”

Did India surrender its pre-condition to attempt a major breakthrough?

One wished Mr. Aziz had not conveyed to the HT his information and the paper had not published the interview. By coincidence or otherwise the next day on August 6th there was a terror incident across the ceasefire line in which Pakistan regulars and terrorists jointly launched an attack killing 5 Indian soldiers. Naturally there was national outrage and demands are flowing thick and fast that the PM should cancel his projected meeting with Mr. Sharif. If there was any movement towards a meaningful dialogue it has, as earlier feared in these columns, been once again derailed.

That is why Mr. Manmohan Singh should meet Mr. Sharif and deliver his ultimatum. If the Pakistan PM cannot bring his army on board through a credible public commitment all peace efforts should end.

India then should adopt the hard option. Through diplomatic moves New Delhi can hasten the disintegration of Pakistan. It is not necessary to outline how this can be accomplished. Let sceptics rest assured that it can be done.

07-Aug-2013

More by :  Dr. Rajinder Puri

Top | Analysis

Views: 3344      Comments: 3



Comment Mr.Puri: You are thinking too fast. We should put every thing aside. FIRST, we
must clean our house first.er There is warin of diversities in our country, and that
threatens us and does not kip us united. THAT IS THE CURSE ON INDIA for
centuries. We have suffered and stand to suffer till we get united.
Disintegration of Pakistan will be done by its misdeeds supported and co-opted by
USA.....Nawaz is known from his past deeds of corruption. Ref: THE INVESTIGATOR PAK PM COULD NOT STOP by Paul Farrelly and Jason Bruke
PM Manmohan Singh will loose his prestige if he holds talk with PM Sharif,
probably do harm to India

pranlal sheth
09-Aug-2013 23:02 PM

Comment Pandit Puri:

Why hasten disintegration of Pakistan? Why? What will happen after that? India will then overflow with fleeing refugees causing new disceases of hatred for each other's sects and also bring in new problems. India -Pakistan border is not guarded with mile high walls, but it is porous.

So why don't you take up the mantle of a futurist and write a nice little colomn?

KAMATH
09-Aug-2013 17:23 PM

Comment I can't understand how we can continue to have dialogue with a rogue neighbor after 2008 raid on Mumbai?Why we have brain dead idiots selling this theory that dialogue is a path to settle differences with pakistan when that country is disintegrating? The correct strategy to handle Pakistan is to stop discussions,stop all these stupid cultural exchanges,no trade or even the massive 3rd party trade through the benami country called Dubai.But then, all these strategies can be put into practice only when our ruling class especially the one behind the screens are not continuously blackmailed by elements running hawala trade

shiv
09-Aug-2013 03:16 AM




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