India’s bid to unlock dialogue process with Pakistan

India has said its proposal to have Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan was a calculated initiative to “unlock” the dialogue process and convey directly its immediate concerns about cross-border terrorism.

The Government underlined that the offer of dialogue did not mean that it had given up on its expectations about “satisfactory, tangible and concrete action” by Pakistan against terrorism and bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack to justice.

Making it clear that India will approach the talks with an open mind, sources said on Saturday it was ready for dialogue on a range of issues in a comprehensive manner but not necessarily in the format of the composite dialogue that was halted because of 26/11. India, it was made clear, has offered the Foreign Secretary-level talks after making a “judgement” about actions taken by Pakistan with regard to Mumbai attacks and undertaking “calculations” of various aspects.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao called up her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir more than a week back and invited him to Delhi for talks.

India, which suspended the composite dialogue after the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, has proposed two sets of dates to Pakistan for the talks this month. Pakistan’s response is awaited.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani media has welcomed India’s proposal to resume talks with Pakistan.

Leading dailies felt the move amounted to a realistic understanding of regional ground realities and would come as a “slap” to terrorists opposed to peace between the two nations.

The Daily Times newspaper, in its editorial ‘Time to move forward’, said that by not resuming the composite dialogue, India had played into the hands of elements responsible for the Mumbai attacks. Calling on both countries to realise “that the nexus of terrorists is no respecter of borders”, the daily said, “The revival of dialogue will be a slap in their faces.”

Terrorists were the “common enemy” of India and Pakistan, which have to stand together to fight them.

The Nation, said in its editorial ‘Back to dialogue’ that the call for talks are reflective of India’s gradual move towards a more realistic understanding of regional ground realities. “Foremost among these realities is the fact that there is no way out of the bilateral dialogue with nuclear Pakistan.

The News too hailed India’s move to hold talks, calling it a welcome development which marks a key step forward for the two neighbours who have been caught up in the hostilities that followed the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Jamat “vows” to seize Kashmir

The Jamat-ud-Dawah, front organisation of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group blamed for the Mumbai attacks, has held a public meeting vowing to seize Kashmir by force and threatening “rivers of blood” in India. In Lahore too, the JuD organised a public rally, led by Hafiz Saeed, alleged by India to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The rally went from the JuD headquarters in Chauburji to the University Grounds, where Saeed led the participants in Friday prayers.

It proceeded to the famous Masjid-e-Shohada on Mall road, where the second tier leadership of the group made anti-India speeches. The meetings were held alongside other country-wide events to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, annually observed in Pakistan on February 5. The JuD rally in Islamabad on Friday was held at Aabpara chowk in the heart of the city, a short walk from the barricaded headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence.

“Whenever our jihad in Kashmir nears success, India becomes ready for talks,” Abdur Rehman Makki, deputy to JuD leader Hafiz Saeed, told his audience, mostly traders from the local market, students from madrasas and JuD activists bussed in from Rawalpindi.

- Asian Tribune -