Sartaj Aziz will settle for nothing less than what he thinks is necessary to tackle regarding India, but will India let him? The PM’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs, has made it clear that Kashmir must be on the agenda of any bilateral engagement with them and that the talks are essentially taking place on the principle of equality.
Aziz has made it clear that the international community has supported Pakistan’s stance regarding the two countries need to hold dialogue on all outstanding issues. He has also vehemently warned Modi about not holding back this time. “The parleys of national security advisers were scrapped last month because of Indian rigidity over Kashmir,” he said, and has made it quite clear that the Indian Prime Minister is indeed the main culprit. Accusing him for seeking political mileage at home through running an “anti-Pakistan propaganda”, Aziz is of the opinion that not only did Modi contest elections on this basis but now wants to dictate terms for the dialogue with Pakistan.
Aziz is however, hoping that the meeting between the Rangers DG and Indian BSF Commander in New Delhi will ease tensions along the LoC and Working Boundary. Pakistan will not be defensive when both countries meet, but will be assertive. He has made it clear that ‘We have been on the receiving end and we will tell them what they have been doing in the recent weeks. If anyone should be defensive, it has to be India.” This is an admirable move by us, one that shows we won’t be plodded by India anymore. The meeting might get infected with the ongoing war of words and arms between the two neighbours - but Pakistan should not deviate from this firm stance. The fact of the matter is that no progress has been made with Pakistan taking a soft stance. It is time to play hard ball.
Modi’s foreign policy has brought his own personality center-stage to the neglect of institutions and peace. Under his shadow, the Foreign Office has been sidelined, professionalism has been cast to the winds and external affairs have been rendered a decorative irrelevancy. Though Pakistan is clear about what it wants, nobody can really be sure what Modi wants. We are only seeing a series of ambiguous stands by him. Was his intention of the Ufa meeting to resume the India-Pakistan dialogue, or to sabotage it? If Modi remains mired in the belief that the Hurriyat issue is more important, than putting India-Pakistan relations back on track, then there is nothing to talk about.