Pakistani media welcomes resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue

The visit to Islamabad of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is welcome but “also underlines the flip-flops and the lack of consistency in Indian diplomacy”, the CPI-M has said.

Dawn reported that in a “major breakthrough”, Pakistan and India announcedthey were resuming the dialogue on outstanding issues, ending a two-year logjam. India, on principle, is opposed to any third party intervention in resolving its differences with Pakistan.

Swaraj, in turn, replied that the Bangkok meeting between the two NSAs showed that the two sides can engage on “difficult issues” in a “constructive” and “non-accusatory” manner.

The fifth iteration of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process ministerial conference wrapped up in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday.

Washington has made it clear that in discussions held during General Raheel Sharif’s visit to the USA that Pakistan should pursue and deal with anti-Indian terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Jaish-e- Mohammad in the same manner that it had dealt with the Pakistani Taliban. “Now Swaraj’s visit will lead to a composite dialogue”, CPI national secretary D Raja said. This new attempt to unclog the arteries of the India-Pakistan relationship must be supported.

The Narendra Modi government in August had called off foreign secretary and national security advisor-level talks while expressing strong objections to the Pakistan high commissioner hosting Kashmiri separatists on the eve of talks.

The statement then goes on list the subjects of the comprehensive dialogue where discussion on “counter-terrorism” is listed as a separate dialogue subject.

India agreed to keep Kashmir on the agenda and Pakistan promised to speed up the trial of those India blames for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Janjua, who is said to enjoy the army chief’s confidence and replaced Aziz as NSA recently, is expected to play a vital role because his presence indicates that Pakistan’s military establishment is on board with Sharif’s government on the need for a bilateral dialogue with India. Today, two issues lie at the core of the India-Pakistan problem: Pakistan-sponsored terrorism on Indian soil, and Kashmir.

But it is nonetheless welcome to see actual, palpable engagement between the two countries and “Swaraj’s changed tune indicates that sense has prevailed and the importance of dialogue over displays of strength has been recognised”.

In her address at the meet on Wednesday, she said it was time the two countries display “maturity and self-confidence” to do business with each other as the world was rooting for a change and offered to move cooperation at a pace Pakistan is comfortable with. Will it last? Probably, and not only because Prime Minister Modi has to represent India at the SAARC summit in Islamabad in 2016 and in the 30th year of the SAARC, there is no way that India can or will opt out. She said that India was prepared to accept Afghanistan truks at the Indo-Pak Attari Border if Pakistan was agreeable to it. India would also like send goods trucks to Afghanistan from the Attari.

China wishes the Afghan government could stay in the course of holding peace talks with the Taliban, and China is ready to continue to facilitate and help build a platform for the revival of the reconciliation process. “Until now, we have launched 40 operations against them through our forces”.

Making arrangements for the series – which could run from December 17-January 3 – would be “challenging” at such short notice, Khan said, “but we will do it once we get clearance from the Indian government”.