India, Pak back to cold war-like situation
The arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, who have fought three wars and were on brink of the nuclear war in 1999 are back to cold war like situation with the dialogue process between the two countries taking a back seat.
The dialogue process known as peace process between the two warring countries came to a halt after the 26/11 terror strikes in Indian business capital Mumbai. At least 190 persons including nine attackers were killed in the terror strikes. India blamed Pakistan based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba for the attacks and sought action from Pakistan against the top leaders of the militant group based in the country.
Pakistan arrested Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, parent wing of Lashkar-e-Toiba and some top commanders of LeT including Lakhi-ur-Rehman. However, Saeed was released by the Pakistan court citing lack of evidence against him. The Pakistani authorities termed the material provided by India against Saeed as insufficient and demanded more evidence to link his involvement with the November 11 terror strikes in Mumbai. India has termed it as a delay delaying attitude.
The reluctance of Pakistan government to act against Saeed has not gone well with Indian government. New Delhi has linked the resumption of dialogue process with Pakistans action against the terrorist elements using its soil against anti-India activities.
The dialogue process has not resumed despite the assurances from Pakistani leaders that they wont let their soil be used for anti-India activities. The heads of States of India and Pakistan met twice. During the talks between Indian and Pakistani premiers Manmohan Singh and Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the two countries came out with a joint statement de-linking dialogue with terrorism and including Balochistan issue. This generated hope that the two countries will restart the dialogue process.
However, the joint India-Pakistan statement came under sharp criticism from the Indian opposition parties especially right wing Hindu party BJP, who felt the Balochistan reference and de-linking terrorism from dialogue process was defeat of Indian diplomacy. After being cornered at the home-turf, Indian government hardened its stand viz-a-viz resumption of dialogue process with Pakistan and linked the restart of peace process with Pakistans action against the terrorist elements operating from its soil against India.
Pakistan Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on September 4 that stalling of dialogue process between the two countries is benefiting the terrorists.
This has led to the cold-war like situation between the two countries. While one of the country (Pakistan) has been repeatedly calling for resumption of peace process, the other (India) is opposing it. The Congress party, which is heading the coalition government in India cannot dare to take any decision which is seen as a defeatist by the right wing Hidu opposition party BJP, said a political science teacher of University of Kashmir, highest seat of learning in Kashmir.
Supporting his view, the former militant commander and now chairman of pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Mohammad Yasin Malik feels that radicals and extremist forces in every society including India follow different yardsticks. When they come to power they have different approach. When they are out of power they dont let anything to work, Malik said while referring to Indias opposition party BJP, who started the dialogue process with the Kashmiri separatists but once out of power in India opposed it vehemently.
He, however, said, If establishment is sincere, then it should take on board different political parties and civil society about the issue. It should start aggressive interaction with media not publicly. If this approach is followed, the diplomacy will be a success.
A political observer said that the cold war like situation between India and Pakistan will not be in the interests of any of the two countries. Instead it gives an opportunity to extremist elements to prove that force is the only relevant means to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, he said, adding, The leadership of the two countries should set in process the dialogue process to defeat the extremist elements within the two countries.
The resumption of peace process, according to the political observer, is must. The sooner the better, he added.
The arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, who have fought three wars and were on brink of the nuclear war in 1999 are back to cold war like situation with the dialogue process between the two countries taking a back seat.
The dialogue process known as peace process between the two warring countries came to a halt after the 26/11 terror strikes in Indian business capital Mumbai. At least 190 persons including nine attackers were killed in the terror strikes. India blamed Pakistan based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba for the attacks and sought action from Pakistan against the top leaders of the militant group based in the country.
Pakistan arrested Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, parent wing of Lashkar-e-Toiba and some top commanders of LeT including Lakhi-ur-Rehman. However, Saeed was released by the Pakistan court citing lack of evidence against him. The Pakistani authorities termed the material provided by India against Saeed as insufficient and demanded more evidence to link his involvement with the November 11 terror strikes in Mumbai. India has termed it as a delay delaying attitude.
The reluctance of Pakistan government to act against Saeed has not gone well with Indian government. New Delhi has linked the resumption of dialogue process with Pakistans action against the terrorist elements using its soil against anti-India activities.
The dialogue process has not resumed despite the assurances from Pakistani leaders that they wont let their soil be used for anti-India activities. The heads of States of India and Pakistan met twice. During the talks between Indian and Pakistani premiers Manmohan Singh and Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the two countries came out with a joint statement de-linking dialogue with terrorism and including Balochistan issue. This generated hope that the two countries will restart the dialogue process.
However, the joint India-Pakistan statement came under sharp criticism from the Indian opposition parties especially right wing Hindu party BJP, who felt the Balochistan reference and de-linking terrorism from dialogue process was defeat of Indian diplomacy. After being cornered at the home-turf, Indian government hardened its stand viz-a-viz resumption of dialogue process with Pakistan and linked the restart of peace process with Pakistans action against the terrorist elements operating from its soil against India.
Pakistan Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on September 4 that stalling of dialogue process between the two countries is benefiting the terrorists.
This has led to the cold-war like situation between the two countries. While one of the country (Pakistan) has been repeatedly calling for resumption of peace process, the other (India) is opposing it. The Congress party, which is heading the coalition government in India cannot dare to take any decision which is seen as a defeatist by the right wing Hidu opposition party BJP, said a political science teacher of University of Kashmir, highest seat of learning in Kashmir.
Supporting his view, the former militant commander and now chairman of pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Mohammad Yasin Malik feels that radicals and extremist forces in every society including India follow different yardsticks. When they come to power they have different approach. When they are out of power they dont let anything to work, Malik said while referring to Indias opposition party BJP, who started the dialogue process with the Kashmiri separatists but once out of power in India opposed it vehemently.
He, however, said, If establishment is sincere, then it should take on board different political parties and civil society about the issue. It should start aggressive interaction with media not publicly. If this approach is followed, the diplomacy will be a success.
A political observer said that the cold war like situation between India and Pakistan will not be in the interests of any of the two countries. Instead it gives an opportunity to extremist elements to prove that force is the only relevant means to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, he said, adding, The leadership of the two countries should set in process the dialogue process to defeat the extremist elements within the two countries.
The resumption of peace process, according to the political observer, is must. The sooner the better, he added.
