ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday welcomed voices from inside India calling for dialogue with Pakistan, terming it ‘a positive development’, and expressing the hope that sanity would prevail.
In a surprise move this week, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Secretary General Dattatreya Hosable called for always keeping a window open for talks with Pakistan, terming people-to-people contacts key to breaking the deadlock in ties. “That is why diplomatic relations are maintained, trade and commerce continue and visas are given. So we should not stop these,” he said.
When this issue was raised at the weekly Foreign Office media briefing here, Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded, “The voices within India calling for dialogue are obviously a positive development. We hope sanity will prevail in India, and warmongering, belligerence emanating for the past several months and even beyond, for past years will fade away and pave the way for more such voices. Everyone is leading with India story but we want to emphasise that so far non-official voices are speaking. We, of course, will see if there is an official reaction to those voices in India,” he said.
Indian politician Shashi Taroor also appeared to be setting a new tone when in an article he wrote, “For India-Pak peace is not weakness, dialogue is not defeat”.
Besides the RSS Secretary General, former Indian Army chief Gen (retd) Manoj Naravane also supported the RSS, saying people-to-people contacts “whether through Track-II diplomacy or through sporting events, is very important”.
To a query about Track-II diplomacy taking place between India and Pakistan in a third country, the spokesperson responded, “About Track II or backchannel – well I am not aware of that and do not wish to comment on those,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan welcomed the designation of BLA as a terrorist entity by Australia. “This is a result of our own diplomatic engagements, and the fact that the terrorism committed by BLA is now very open with evidence all over – that is why countries are increasingly designating this terrorist outfit (BLA) as a terrorist entity within their domestic laws,” said the spokesperson.
Pakistan is not worried about reports that Prime Minister Modi will be signing Strategic and Defence Agreements with the UAE on his forthcoming visit and whether this would mean that Pakistan would upgrade its defence agreement with Saudi Arabia.
“About the defence agreement (with Gulf States). First of all, let me clarify that Pakistan’s defence relations are not driven by one time visit of our neighboring country to any other place. Our defence relations, as part of the wider bilateral political diplomatic relations have an impetus of their own, have a trajectory of their own, have a strength and an institutional spirit of their own. So, whatever we decide with respect to our defence relations with any of our brotherly countries in the Gulf and in the Middle East will be determined by its own factors, and not by any particular visit from our neighbor,” responded the spokesperson.
Commenting on the ‘peace dialogue’ between Iran and the US, the spokesperson said Pakistan was not discouraged by the fact that an agreement had not been reached at the soonest. “Yes, the peace process is intact; it’s holding on. We remain engaged. We remain hopeful. Injecting momentum into the peace process is primarily the prerogative of the two principal interlocutors. We are not discouraged by the fact that an agreement has not been reached at the soonest. We should not be discouraged by any delays if it is perceived anywhere. We should not be discouraged by such perceptions,” he said. The ceasefire is holding and Pakistan finds it ‘welcoming’ and ‘gratifying’.
“We hope it would continue to pave the way for dialogue and diplomacy and eventual settlement, and sustainable solution to this crisis,” he added. Clarifying media reports related to a phone conversation between Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the spokesperson said both sides reaffirmed support for continued diplomacy, emphasised the importance of a durable ceasefire and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and reviewed the upcoming high-level exchanges marking 75 years of Pakistan-China relations.
“As for media coverage of this phone conversation, some reports suggested that the Chinese side urged us to enhance the mediation efforts – implying as if Pakistan was being asked to do more. “I wish to place on record that such reports somewhat misrepresent the call, both in letter and in spirit. The conversation was held with traditional warmth and cordiality. Foreign Minister Wang Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive mediation role and expressed full support for its efforts. Pakistan is thankful of the support by China in this regard,” he clarified.
Commenting on the ongoing visit of President Donald Trump to China, he pointed out that this was extremely important. “Pakistan, like other countries will keenly follow deliberations between the United States and China. We are supportive of their engagement, dialogue and cooperation on all global matters. We wish the two sides very productive deliberations,” he said.
Turning to the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said the recent incident in Kashtwar and similar other cases of incidents of imprisonment, house demolitions, imprisonment without trial, torture, these actions by India in the IIOJK have continued and relevant international human rights organisation and UN Human Rights machinery are cognizant of these developments. Pakistan on its part, continues to raise its voice on these developments.
Giving an update on Pakistanis held captive by Somalian pirates, he said, “Unfortunately, their release has not been secured as yet. A two-member team from Pakistan embassy in Djibouti, which is accredited to Somalia, went to Mogadishu. It traveled over the weekend, and it has held important meetings with the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Somali Ministry of Defence, with the Somali naval authorities, and maritime authorities”.
Pakistan was told that the crew members are safe and are being provided with food, though they are in harsh living conditions. “Secondly, we were told that pirates are negotiating directly with the ship-owner, who is constantly informing and communicating the negotiation details to the Somali government officials. We (our team) spoke with this official who is in touch with the ship- owner. The dynamics of this incident of piracy is that the pirates, who are Somali nationals, do not negotiate with the governments of the captives. They negotiate only with the ship-owners. So, it’s incorrect to say that the Government of Pakistan can negotiate or will negotiate,” he added.
