... but document speaks otherwise

ISLAMABAD-Despite denial by the Foreign Office with regard to reports that India was made a party in the recently reached Pak-Afghan Transit Agreement inked in Washington, the text of the document reveals that under this accord trade between Afghanistan and China will also be made possible. It has been clearly mentioned that under the second clause of the agreement not only Afghanistan could get access to the sea route, it could also find new avenues to India and China for similar purposes. Likewise, the agreement would also enable Pakistan to have access to the Central Asian countries through Afghan transit route. The clause titled Objectives of Pak Afghan Transit Agreement also elaborates that the agreement emphasizes easiest routes for international traffic (also including access to a third country) and a need of railway track and roads between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It also emphasizes the need for establishing a transit corridor connecting Pakistans border areas with Afghanistan, and to give the two countries access to each others neighbouring countries. Among these countries include India, China (through Pakistan) and Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran (through Afghanistan). The agreement also relates that two types of transit permits will be issued for bilateral traffic. Besides transit rights, access to a third country will also be granted so that goods and trade activity could be made possible from one country to the other. India is also a party to the agreement that has been reached between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Washington. Through Pakistan, India will have access to Afghanistan and Central Asian markets and in this way its sixty-year-old dream will be realized. In the past Pakistani governments have been opposing such agreements but the present government has shown its willingness to make India a signatory to the agreement. In return, the government has neither sought any commitment with regard to resolution of Kashmir issue from India nor any kind of assurance that India will not block Pakistans share of waters, which is its legal right, it has been further learnt. The strategic experts have termed the agreement against Pakistan interests.