Keeping in mind the long history of hostility between India and Pakistan, it appears rather unrealistic to talk about the two countries talking to each other with real seriousness. What are they to talk, is the question. Pakistan wants Kashmir which she could not win by force of arms in three wars and the ongoing proxy war. If she is convinced she will not get Kashmir in any case, come what may, then she must stop the proxy war and pave the way for talks. How come she expects India to talk to her while she continues her terrorist activities in Kashmir through her local proxies?
Everybody knows Pakistan army is a state within a state in that country. The army has put a red line for the civilian Government on foreign policy and Kashmir. About 60 per cent of Pakistan budget is eaten up by army under the propaganda that India is about to launch an attack and destroy Pakistan.
Talks with Pakistan mean talking to Pakistan army. India is not going to do that. India is not going to legitimize the extra-constitutional status of Pakistan army. In 1964, days before the death of Nehru, Sheikh Abdullah visited Pakistan. He had gone with a formula of confederation of three states, India, Pakistan and J&K. Ayub Khan turned it down saying there are only two states viz. Pakistan with whole of Kashmir and India minus Kashmir. Kashmir valley leaders often say that India should talk to Pakistan. They do not say that Pakistan should stop sending jihadis to make it possible for the two countries to talk about their dispute. They harp on only one note that India talks to Pakistan. Obviously, they want to win favours with the pro-Pak elements in the Valley — a patent method of blackmailing India.
President Trump has mounted pressure on Pakistan to stop supporting terrorist groups in Afghanistan and sending jihadis to other countries. He is talking of Haqqani and Taliban groups close to Pakistan army and ISI. Warnings are issued repeatedly. Actually, Trump is blowing hot and cold. Threats, intimidation, warnings, appeasements, entreaties and admonishments all go together hand in hand. In the process, Trump administration is losing its credibility with an impact on Pakistan army. The Pentagon, the CIA and ISI all are in close rapport over what is brewing in the White House. They are not short of means and methods of circumventing the bombast of Trump. Therefore, what Trump says has not to be taken on its face value.
Pakistan is face to face with internal crisis. Actually, this crisis has invisible link to what is brewing in the royal palace of the Saudi monarch. If the monarchy crumbles, Pakistan has no option but to move around the world with a beggar’s scrip. Alongside this, Pakistan is wary of growing Indo-Afghan relations on one hand and a sea-change in Sino-Indian understanding of regional strategy on the other. The dark cloud of isolation caused by her pro-terror inclination is looming large on her head. More of domestic crisis and confusion have to be read in Bajwa’s address to the Senate than the feigned goodwill towards India.
What General Bajwa has said is not “goodwill”: goodwill is stopping the use of Pakistani soil by her jihadis to infiltrate into our side and indulge in subversion. General Rawat has rightly reiterated what the Government of India’s stand is.
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