Speaking on the occasion of National Book Day at the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre, Prime Minister Gilani said on Monday that the era of war was a bygone word and disputes with India would be settled through negotiations. Though it sounds good, it is in sharp contrast to what Indian civil and military leaderships have been saying. About the same time when Mr Gilani uttered these words, New Delhi decided to add 90 naval ships to it fleet. The head of Indian Defence Development and Research stated that preparations had been finalised to launch an advanced version of space rocket having ballistic and cruise capability. Before saying anything on the subject, Mr Gilani should have taken stock of the latest developments. If the era of war is over, then there is no point spending 14 per cent of the federal budget on defence, nor any justification for keeping such a huge army.
New Delhi’s consistent rhetoric about Kashmir as its integral part cannot be ignored. The Kashmiris have been struggling to fight off Indian occupation. Pakistan must stand firmly behind them and stick to its principled position that Kashmiris must be allowed their right of self-determination as clearly envisaged in the UN resolutions.