Pakistan’s belligerence

Ashok Bhan
PM Modi’s foreign policy is primarily driven by economic goals,infusion of foreign funds in key projects, and security and peace in South Asia .Modi”s brand of diplomacy is unique,attacking,energetic and proactive.It is visionary partly,partly sales person ,partly theatre but always captivative.It is driven by his passion to see India as leader in South Asia and formidable player in the global affairs.
Modi”s foreign policy is still all sizzle and no steak as he is yet to come up with a coherent policy to manage the contradictions or India’s neibourhood. says an American expert Cohen.Salman Khursid says apart from hype and hoopla Modi is pursuing UPA foreign policy.Modi has brought focus and clarity to India”s foreign policy-he has compass that always points North for development, say the European experts. I say ,While one & a half year may not be sufficient to measure his policy but the depth of his engagements stand out.He has touched base with over 100 Countries in the world including major powers and players engaging in broad spectrum of issues vital to India.
Modi’s neighbor-hood policy, other than Pakistan, is :- Contact, Connectivity and Cooperation.This policy is not new but Modi gave it a fresh priority and impetus by visiting Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.He also concluded the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh which he himself described as akin to “Breaking the Berlin Wall”.
Dialogue with Pakistan so far has proved to be high-decibel failure.India”s uncompromising stand on the issues of cessation of terror and Pakistan”s over playing K-card.It has also displayed verbal aggression at UN that has not provoked India of any knee-jerk response is the real diplomacy Modi Govt. is pursuing inspite Modi tried to engage with Nawaz in Delhi & Ufa.
Pakistan”s belligerence though misplaced can not be brushed aside for the reason of its viciousness at this point of time when PM Modi was pitching for India”s permanent seat in UN Security Council.This method in madness by Pakistan is not new.I recall when Manmohan Singh in 2005 was pitching for the permanent seat in UNSC Pakistan launched similar verbal aggression which Kasuri has reflected in his book recently launched in India.That time India and Pakistan were in active and serious dialogue.
In the past Pakistan has taken the risk of conflict with India -even on specious grounds—ignoring its cost.It did incursions in Kargil. .It was defeated to the extent of humility and India”s restraint prevented it from turning into a full fledged war. The Pakistan establishment has not learnt sagacity or demonstrated reason and continues to breed animosity and  proxy terror activities against India.
Pakistan therefore is not a neighbour that deserves any dilaogue with, is the argument the most Indian policy makers are making. What is the way forward—-
The doctrine of respect for cease-fire line, non-violence and dialogue has been agreed to as the basis of all the bilateral agreements between the two countries.Be that Tashkent Declaration of 1966, Shimla Agreement of 1972 and Lahore Declaration of 1999.
Modi and his team has worked out a policy to isolate Pakistan on ‘terror’ by befriending and seeking support of the countries doing business with India.Modi’s successful visit to UAE and signing a joint treaty on ‘Combat Terrorism” was the first step towards accomplishment of the new policy.It has really stunned Pakistan.The visit to seven Central Asian countries with a record of more than 55 meetings was phenomenally successful to garner support against terrorism and to tap their rich energy resources which India would benefit from.Modi’s passionate appeal to the world community, and UN, for adopting a comprehensive convention of global terrorism is a continuance of the policy.
Pakistan’s over-playing the so-called ‘K’ card in UNSC and not acting against the terror groups operating from its soil, against India, and in parts of Jammu and Kashmir State, are argued to be the main cause for working out the new policy, qua Pakistan.Modi’s not even shaking hands with Nawaz Sharif at the UN in New York also is a signal to the Pakistan policy makers.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to United States was phenomenally successful and ended on a high note.Nawaz Shariff used UN forum for all-out attack on India including raking up Kashmir issue.This was intended mainly to remind the world not to forget the bilateral dispute.This time, the anti-India ranting and ‘K’ issue in UN was fraught with viciousness because Prime Minister Modi was pitching for India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.The other reason for verbal attack on India was based on a method in madness to deviate and digress from its internal strife in the Sindh region, Baluchistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir which is engulfed in sectarian violence and rise of religious extremism in the country.
Pakistan must realize that there are no takers for any of its arguments for the reason that its army and ISI has been in cloud ever since Americans discovered that Osama Bin Laden was hiding there . This fact is proven by the former highly placed men of the establishment and is the current hot topic on TV channels. USA special forces eventually eliminated him in the lap of Pakistani army itself. Pakistan in the past has been taking risk of conflict with India ignoring its ‘cost’.Pakistan resorted to incursions in Kargil despite the fact known to them that both countries were nuclear.Pakistan faced defeat and humiliation which has not brought much of sagacity or reason in the political and military establishments.
Indian society is conscious that it cannot choose its neighbours but the history of India and Pakistan after partition has thrown up, from time to time, some bilateral issues to be resolved.The best way to resolve the outstanding bilateral issues is always through engagement and dialogue.
Wars between the two countries, and the continuing proxy war by Pakistan against India, have brought untold and huge miseries and civilian casualties. Large population of Kashmir is in exile for last 26 years.The frequent border hostilities and terror attacks by Pakistan, which have been clearly proven, as aided and abeted by terrorists and non-state actors from the soil of Pakistan.
The Hafizs, the Laqvis, LeT, the Salahudins, the Dawoods etc., and the perpetrators of terror mayhem are roaming freely with the patronage from rogue agencies in Pakistan.Therefore, the onus of reining in these merchants of terror and dismantling their financial and other support structures and also freezing of their illegal funding is squarely on the Government of Pakistan.
India has made several representations to Pakistan in this behalf backed by tangible evidence and proven facts but the reluctance of Pakistan establishments to sternly act against the non-state actors has remained galore.Even for those who have been declared as international terrorists’ organizations and terrorists, no action has been taken so far
.Pakistan has been pleading that the ‘k’ issue as the root cause of bilateral hostility which has resulted in deep distress and trust deficit between the two countries.It is more than clear by now that the international community has always advised Pakistan leadership to settle the issues, including the so-called ‘k’ issue, by peaceful means bilaterally.It is because of the Pakistan’s flawed foreign policy which is driven by the hawks in their military establishment, and the other agencies, that has failed in judgment and progress of dialogue with India. Therecent revelations by Kasuri and also by Sati Lamba that back channel talks were most successful authorised by two political establishments.Had Musharraf remained in power for some more time an agreement was imminent.
In international jurisprudence, foreign policy can never run de-hors engagement and dialogue with any country, more especially with your immediate neibour.
The task of resolving the bilateral issues is complex and compounded by many factors ranging from ideological perspective to humanitarian and security concerns.Therefore, the blame game must end and the trust deficit existing as on date needs to be narrowed. In the present context, to start with afresh, by the back channel efforts.The experts and the seasoned persons are required to be involved with full back up of institutions of governance of both the countries.The dialogue needs to be free from media glare.It may not be possible forboth countries to redraw the map and erase the lines but the two civilized nations and its people can work to emulate to negate human consequence of hostility and division of population.Both countries have to agree that terrorism and religious radicalization is a taboo and pronounced extreme positions of the past have to be abandoned and the bilateral dialogue has to centre around the welfare of the people of both countries and must be acceptable to the larger political elements.
All opportunities must be seized to fulfil the economic aspirations of the people of region.It is necessary to have honest and genuine intent to promote the peaceful relations between the neighbours.In diplomacy, the dialogue can never stop.It is always advisable that if the front channel engagement is not productive, there is always recourse of back channel process for preparing fresh ground for an appropriate decision by the respective Governments. The undercurrents of disengagement or ‘no-dialogue’ have to be clearly understood as these only precipitate hostilities and negative sentiments. In international jurisprudence, foreign policy can never run de-hors engagement and dialogue with any country, more especially with your immediate neighbor.Battles can be won but not the trust that can only be achieved with dialogue and engagement.Both India and Pakistan Governments owe peaceful co-existence for its people which can be achieved uninterruptible dialogue only.
(The author is Senior Advocate, Supreme Court & Chairman Kashmir Stategy & Policy Group)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com

Follow our WhatsApp channel