NEW DELHI: In an admission of Pakistan Army’s role in Islamabad’s policy towards India, High Commissioner for Pakistan Abdul Basit has said it was wrong to expect it (Pakistan Army) not to have any role in Pakistan’s India policy.
In an interview to an English daily, Mr Basit reiterated the earlier statement by Pakistan that no surgical strikes took place last month, as claimed by the Indian Government.
In what could be seen as the first admission by Pakistan of its Army’s role in the policy towards India, Mr Basit said, ”When it comes to issues concerning India, Afghanistan and other issues, which are security related? obviously our army or military has an important role to play. It has important inputs to give.
So to expect that it will not have any role in Pakistan’s India policy or Afghanistan policy and other such issues, is incorrect.” Denying that there was any surgical strike by the Indian Army last month, Mr Basit, describing it as a ”cross-border firing”, said ”If you want to describe this cross-LoC firing as a surgical strike, we cannot stop you.
But the fact of the matter is no surgical strike took place. And I can assure you that had there been any surgical strike, Pakistan would have responded immediately and proportionately. And we do not need time for preparation.
”But I would agree with those analysts who are asking for such serious terms to be not used so loosely because of the inherent dangers in doing that. It is important not to create false expectations.
We have not seen anything extraordinary on September 29. It was routine cross-LoC firing, in which two of our soldiers were martyred.” In reply to a question, Mr Basit , describing Pakistan as an important member of the international community, said India’s attempts to isolate Islamabad had not succeeded.
Mr Basit said Pakistan was contributing to international peace and it remained one of the largest contributors to the UN peace keeping missions. ”We know our place in the world. Pakistan is a country of 200 million people and blessed with such a remarkable geo-strategic location that no country on earth could isolate it.
”In fact, 5 or 10 years down the road, Pakistan is destined to emerge as a regional economic hub because we are the natural bridge between West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. You cannot take that position from us. ”Rather than wasting time in isolating Pakistan, it is important to look at ways to integrate and connect with each other,” Mr Basit said. On the postponement of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, Mr Basit said it was a collective loss. Stressing on the need for India and Pakistan to get back to the negotiating table, Mr Basit said that there was no impasse as far as the framework for dialogue was concerned. ”The important thing is to get back to the negotiating table with the framework already decided,” Mr Basit said. At the same time, he said, resolution of the Kashmir issue was a prerequisite for the improvement of relationship between the two countries.
”We want to have a good relationship with India, but the mistrust we share can’t be plugged until there is a just and fair resolution of Kashmir issue,” Mr Basit said. (AGENCIES)
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