The stage is set for another round of dramatics. India and Pakistan will play protagonists once again. As you may have guessed already, the US will wield the megaphone as usual for this top rated franchise – ‘India-Pak Talks’, which has many more episodes in the offing. The location/venue, this time around is Islamabad.
After the 26/11 Mumbai massacre by Pakistan based terrorists, India had closed its doors to the ‘talks’ diplomacy. India had demanded strong action from Pakistan against elements responsible for the cruel act. Pakistan relented to the tremendous pressure from India and the US and arrested seven LET leaders .They were put to trial, the authenticity of which again seems to be questionable. But it has to be noted that Pakistan did not move against the LET founder & chief of JUD, Hafeez Saeed, who masterminded 26/11.
Even as the Pakistani side was constantly emphasizing on the need to get back to the discussion tables Indians seemed to be in no mood for it. But in February 2010, the Indian side surprised all by deciding to restart the talks process. Words were chosen carefully. It was decided that talks will not be composite, which meant that it will not be a full-fledged dialogue but one which will address only certain issues at the Foreign Secretary levels. It was stated that the ‘time was not ripe’ for resuming composite dialogue. The results of this non-composite dialogue on Feb 25th 2010, was there for all to see, when a sarcastic Salman Bashir, Pak For. Secretary discounted all those dossiers of evidence submitted by India as mere ‘literature’.
From 26/11/08 to 02/02/10 or from 02/02/10 to present day , what has Pakistan done for us to first agree to non-composite and then a composite dialogue. After 26/11, India demanded action against its perpetrators based in Pakistan, and the response was dismal. In Feb, 2010 we said the ‘time was not ripe’. From Feb 25th to May 12,2010 when the Foreign Ministers of both sides fixed a date for the meeting, have we seen any positive response from Pak, which ripened the conditions for a composite dialogue? Or are we just acting under external pressure? Are we not in a position to take a stand of our own?. It is time the Govt of India provides answers to some of these questions that crop up in the minds of any average educated Indian .
After the 26/11 Mumbai massacre by Pakistan based terrorists, India had closed its doors to the ‘talks’ diplomacy. India had demanded strong action from Pakistan against elements responsible for the cruel act. Pakistan relented to the tremendous pressure from India and the US and arrested seven LET leaders .They were put to trial, the authenticity of which again seems to be questionable. But it has to be noted that Pakistan did not move against the LET founder & chief of JUD, Hafeez Saeed, who masterminded 26/11.
Even as the Pakistani side was constantly emphasizing on the need to get back to the discussion tables Indians seemed to be in no mood for it. But in February 2010, the Indian side surprised all by deciding to restart the talks process. Words were chosen carefully. It was decided that talks will not be composite, which meant that it will not be a full-fledged dialogue but one which will address only certain issues at the Foreign Secretary levels. It was stated that the ‘time was not ripe’ for resuming composite dialogue. The results of this non-composite dialogue on Feb 25th 2010, was there for all to see, when a sarcastic Salman Bashir, Pak For. Secretary discounted all those dossiers of evidence submitted by India as mere ‘literature’.
From 26/11/08 to 02/02/10 or from 02/02/10 to present day , what has Pakistan done for us to first agree to non-composite and then a composite dialogue. After 26/11, India demanded action against its perpetrators based in Pakistan, and the response was dismal. In Feb, 2010 we said the ‘time was not ripe’. From Feb 25th to May 12,2010 when the Foreign Ministers of both sides fixed a date for the meeting, have we seen any positive response from Pak, which ripened the conditions for a composite dialogue? Or are we just acting under external pressure? Are we not in a position to take a stand of our own?. It is time the Govt of India provides answers to some of these questions that crop up in the minds of any average educated Indian .
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