The ouster of Imran Khan has sparked speculation that the change of government in Pakistan may reset frozen bilateral ties between New Delhi and Islamabad. But India’s stand remains unchanged on any such proposal for resumption of normal bilateral talks.
“For the bilateral talks to be resumed as a normal process, Pakistan must take credible and irreversible steps to end state-sponsored terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in all the territories under its control. This is India’s firm stand and this is not going to be diluted under any circumstances,” high-placed diplomatic sources told The Daily Guardian.
“India hardly expects any substantial and credible change in Pakistan’s approach on the issue of terrorism even under a new regime in Islamabad, as Army remains to be single most dominating institution in all
respects,” said sources. “Army continues to call the shots in Pakistan, and its ISI will hardly mend its ways,” sources added.
A team of senior Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials is discussing the Pakistan developments at regular intervals. “Nothing so far suggests that Pakistan will in any way hit hard at terrorism even if there is a change of government,” an official familiar with the meetings at South Block told this newspaper.
Indian diplomats believe that the new government’s foreign policy will be in consonance with Pakistan Army which never wants terrorism from the neighbouring country to stop. “With this being the case, how can New Delhi expect to resume diplomatic conversations with Islamabad?”
Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan’s observations in Rajya Sabha last week assume significance amid the fast-developing situation in Pakistan. He had said, “The government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence.”
His message was crystal clear to Pakistan that “India wants to see credible action against terrorism by Islamabad before any attempt towards resuming normal bilateral talks. It means the onus is on Pakistan.
“Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa who said that his country was ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees, must have got the message in the Minister’s remarks,” said sources.
What highlights the lack of action on the part of Pakistan’s Army Chief is that his country could not till date exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) due to its failure on terror funding front.