India sould consider the four-point peace proposal: Nawaz Sharif

The third point pertaining to demilitarisation of Kashmir was discussed by India and Pakistan in the course of the composite dialogue from 2004 till 2007, when both countries explored the option of gradual withdrawal of their military forces from their respective parts of Kashmir. However, it was not surprising that India rejected it because it negated its current hard line on Pakistan, reflecting the biases caused by the BJP’s ultra-nationalism and the anti-Pakistan disposition of the Sangh Pariwar.

“Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative, Parrikar said, “‘Make in India’ in the defence sector can generate at least 30-40 lakh jobs.

“Talks and terror can not go together”, she said while making it clear that India “remains open to dialogue” but terrorism emanating from Pakistan is hampering normalisation of bilateral relations.

He said mutual incrimination and involvement in proxy wars would benefit none but keep the region unstable and seriously hurt their plans for economic development.

The reply came hours after Ms. Swaraj’s UNGA address where she rejected the four-point peace proposal made by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the United Nations, saying that just “one-point” was necessary, and that was, for Pakistan to “give up terrorism”. He was confident that the dossiers Pakistan handed over to the United Nations would have considerable impact.

He also searched for an agreement in 1998 during his second term in power.

The severity of Pakistan’s attack on Ms. Swaraj’s speech seems linked to the shift in the Indian strategy towards bringing up Pakistan’s human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, including Gilgit and Baltistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari’s idea of improving trade links ran into opposition from entrenched business interests who benefit from the current stand-off.

Subsequent peace initiatives have also failed. Worldwide community is largely appreciative of this security turnaround.

The Indian leader’s nationalist politics, coupled with the size and potential of the Indian market, means that Islamabad’s campaign to win worldwide support for its case over Kashmir looks more forlorn than ever. Pakistani troops were also to withdraw from their advance positions. Whether Modi wants peace is hard to assess. But there is little sign of them being able to do so.