India tells Pakistan that for the talks to take place, there should be a conducive atmosphere which does not have violence, terror and hostility.
Asserting its staunch position, India has argued that it has always aspired to secure normal relations with its neighbouring nation. At the weekly briefing on Thursday in New Delhi it has underscored that “good relations” with Islamabad is possible only if it brings a conducive environment which does not support violence or terrorism
At the weekly briefing in New Delhi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi said that for normal neighbourly relations there should be a conducive atmosphere.
What did the MEA spokesperson say?
“We have said that we have always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. But there should be a conducive atmosphere which does not have terror, hostility or violence.”
This response from India’s to Pakistan comes two days after the Pak PM during a recent interview with Al Arabiya had said that the nation had learnt its lessons after three wars with India. In his interview he stressed that Pakistan now wants peace with its neighbour.
He had said: “We have had three wars with India, and they have only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people… We have learnt our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems.”
Pakistan PM says: `Shameful for nuclear power to beg’
The Pak leader had also lamented the economic situation in his country and has said that it’s shameful for a nuclear country to beg in front of other nations. The UAE has agreed to extend a $2 billion loan to Islamabad. And it has also pledged to provide an additional US $ one billion as neighbouring Pakistan is still struggling to recover from devastating floods and extreme economic crisis.
Expert Views: Shehbaz Sharif promises nothing new
Sharing his views with Financial Express Online, Brig SK Chatterji (retd) says: “The Pakistani Prime Minister’s statement “We have learnt our lesson…” is resonating all over. By itself, such a statement is of profound import. However, he went about qualifying his statement by saying, “Provided we can resolve our genuine problems (with India).” He rambled on to list the problems and included Kashmir, flagrant violation of human rights in Kashmir, and Article 370 being rescinded. He also pointed out that both countries are nuclear powers.”
“In spite of Pak PM qualifying his comments by drawing from oft-repeated Pakistani stance on conditions that govern the outcome of talks with the Indian leadership, apparently, the Pakistani security establishment has not liked it. In India too, his reference to Kashmir, raking up old issues have not been liked, either. Prateek Mathur, Permanent Mission of India in UN said in a meeting in UNGA, “Pakistan’s desperate attempts to peddle falsehoods and a bad habit of abusing the sanctity of multilateral forums deserve collective contempt and perhaps sympathies as well.”
Pakistan has been in dire circumstances for some time now. The floods in 2021 swept away a major part of its economy. According to one set of statistics, 30,000 sq. miles were inundated, leading to 80 % of its crops being damaged, The world’s eighth-largest wheat producer was staring at a food problem, even then. The economy was in shambles. 6000 km of damaged roads, including large lengths washed away, accentuated the breakdown of the logistics supply chain, further. With foreign exchange reserves at all-time lows, imports were difficult. The Financial Action Task Force’s act of taking Pakistan off its Grey list is the only silver lining that came its way.
“Even with shortages looming large, the military-politico leadership remained focused on Imran Khan’s ouster, supporting terror groups, hosting terror leadership and going along with China in its Belt and Road Initiative. During this period, Pakistan’s provinces have also become more and more restive. The Balochs are up in arms against Chinese projects in Gwadar. Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan has announced its intent and pulled out of the ceasefire with Islamabad. The Durand Line is witnessing violent exchanges; and more frequently at that. A new Army Chief is in saddle and changes in civil-military equations with Gen Asim Munir as the Army Chief, if there are to be any at all, are yet to crystallize,” opines the Indian Army Veteran.
According to him Pakistan is surely at a historical crossroads where it needs to define its course for a stable economy, and write a national security policy that draws it out of the terror gamut. It needs to leave the Kashmir issue behind and ensure cohesion of its provinces, where large ruptures are already apparent. Social cohesion within a nation is an important pillar of the State. Should such ruptures widen, it would pose a challenge to the State of Pakistan, while its nuclear arsenal will pose a risk to the whole world.
Over a century back, William Shakespeare wrote a comedy, “Much ado about nothing.” The comedy is read even today by connoisseurs of English literature. “Shehbaz Sharif, for all the aplomb he displayed in his exclusive interview to Al-Arabiya of Dubai, and the whirlwind that his comments have generated are as best as Shakespeare’s play’s novel title,” states Brig SK Chatterji (Retd).