Turnaround: India agrees to Indo-Pakistan dialogue

This follows Pakistan’s alleged agreement to cooperation in 26/11 jurisdiction

Image: The Dawn

Delhi, Islamabad: The Indian government, on Wednesday, along with its Pakistani counterparts came to agree on setting up an elaborate dialogue on a handful of matters. Although India had refused to such talks until Pakistan’s contradictory activities in places like Jammu & Kashmir came to an end, this move is seen as  severe change in opinion of the Modi government after apparent encouragements from Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to deliberate over the Mumbai attacks issue.

This decision comes after Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s meetings with PM Sharif and Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaz Aziz, which is being seen as the point here the hostile relations between the rival neighbours thawed. Although such a dialogue was denied in the past because of Pakistan’s lack of dedication to solving serious issues like the border insurgencies and related activities that threw its weight behind terrorists against India, a positively productive meeting between NSA’s AK Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua in Bangkok also urged India to accept Pakistan’s newly acquired ‘sincerity’. Pakistan has realised and committed to us that it too has a responsibility of dealing with terror,” said an official.

Plus, a joint statement released by both parties after the Swaraj-Aziz meeting said,” They noted the successful talks on terrorism and security related issues in Bangkok by the two NSAs and decided that the NSAs will continue to address all issues connected to terrorism. The Indian side was assured of the steps being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai trial.” Although this decision marks a step towards reducing tensions, Pakistan has not , so far, agreed to confirm Modi’s visit to Pakistan next year for the SAARC, since they do not wish to delve that far into the future. In addition, the government has agreed to the dialogue because it finds it essential to move ahead with other issues, while taking the 26/11 issue forward.

The talks between the two states were ceased after the Mumbai attacks in 2008, a brief resumption was put forward in 2010, called ‘Resumed Dialogue’. Now, the dialogue is set to return with a new name, ‘Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue’. “The new dialogue will have all the pillars of the composite dialogue process with the possibility of adding more,” said Sushma Swaraj as a part of the joint statement. Swaraj also met with Sharif’s family, while he assured her of Pakistan’s realization for the ‘need to engage’. The statement further said, “Both sides, accordingly, agreed to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue and directed the Foreign Secretaries to work out the modalities and schedule of the meetings under the Dialogue including Peace and Security, CBMs, Jammu & Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counterterrorism, Narcotics Control and Humanitarian Issues, People to People exchanges and Religious Tourism.”

The new dialogue will include issues that were put forth in the 2008 dialogue along with other important issues. However, it is still the belief that ,talks and terror cannot move together’, but the dialogue will talk about terror and then see the results for further discussions.

Source: The Times Of India

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