Sushma Swaraj to inform Parliament on India-Pakistan talks

Meanwhile, the decision to hold India-Pakistan comprehensive dialogue following Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s meetings during visit here this week has been largely welcomed by the media and analysts, though certain politicians and former diplomats believe the joint statement issued after these meetings tilted towards India.

Swaraj also met Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, amid efforts by both countries to revive the stalled dialogue process to improve ties. The joint statement says that Pakistan and India, guided by the vision of a peaceful stable and prosperous South Asia, would resume discussions covering peace and security, terrorism, Jammu Kashmir, and other issues, including tranquility along the Line of Control in the divided state.

 To placate India, Pakistan agreed to expedite the trials of the Pakistani Jama’at-ud-Dawah militants who masterminded and telephonically supervised the three-day rampage by Lashkar-i-Taiba militants that killed 166 people in Mumbai seven years ago. She met on Wednesday with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while attending a regional conference to discuss Afghanistan’s future.

Swaraj, the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan since 2012, said it was time India and Pakistan displayed “the maturity and self-confidence to do business with each other and strengthen regional trade and co-operation”.

The appointment of former Lieutenant General Nasser Janjua as Pakistan’s new National Security Adviser and his talks with India’s Ajit Doval in Bangkok, after the Modi-Sharif talks in Paris, paved the way for the Islamabad breakthrough.

A hushed-up meeting between the National Security Advisors and foreign secretaries in Bangkok was followed by Swaraj’s visit to Islamabad.

However, he said, the Indian Foreign Minister gave no assurance regarding the cricket series adding that matter was under discussion between two cricket boards. But the source was cautious and did not declare that Modi will visit Pakistan next year for the SAARC summit, although Swaraj confirmed it earlier in the day.

The composite dialogue was stopped after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

Shireen Mazari of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led the attack in Parliament.

While questioning the language of the statement, Mazari wondered whether the resumption of “bilateral talks meant Pakistan had relinquished its options to use multilateral forums to take up issues, particularly Kashmir”. “But today, let us at least resolve to help Afghanistan — in the best traditions of good neighborliness — through more effective transit arrangements”.

Earlier on December 8, John Kirby told reporters that normalization of India-Pakistan relations is vital not only for both countries but also for the entire region.

The sources said the dialogue process is not disowning the past but taking forward the broad-based dialogue.