Show Spine: Be Firm In Talks With Pakistan

 By Dipin Damodharan

Once again India and Pakistan decided to resume the peace talks. The decision came after a 25-minute telephonic chat between S M Krishna and Shah Mehmood Qureshi (foreign Ministers of both countries) on how to narrow down the `trust deficit’ between the countries. During the conversation S M Krishna accepted the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi to visit Pakistan on July 15. But a question arises here: what is the relevance of talks between India and Pakistan? Will Pakistan end the business of exporting terror to India? The history of Indo-Pak talks tells a different story.

There have been copious rounds of talks held between two countries without any results. Before going to talks, India should realize that talking for the sake of talks will not make any results. This will do nothing good for India. Let us delve the history of the so-called peace talks between the two neighboring nations.

The Indo-Pak conflict was kicked off by Pakistan within six weeks of independence as it desired to take away the Kashmir valley from India. After the 1947 war for Kashmir, Pakistan again attacked India in 1965. This war was known as the second Kashmir war fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region Kashmir. The war began following Pakistan’s notorious Operation Gibraltar, planned to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to drum up an insurgency against India. In 1972 again war broke out, this time Pakistan accepted peace because its army was inept of war.

After the renovation of Pakistan Army, in 1980, they resumed terror action. It fortified and assisted a rebellion in Punjab, where it had no dispute with India. That resulted in the destruction of Golden Temple of Amritsar and the brutal assassination of Indira Gandhi by the Sikh fundamentalists.

Then under Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government, India reached out to shake Pakistan‘s hand at Lahore, but got slapped in the face at Kargil. After 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, which claimed 166 lives including foreigners, things have become worst. It looks like not viable to convince Indians as well as government for maintaining good relationship with Pakistan.

The next peace talk will be held in Pakistan on July 15 2010. Before that Chidambaram would visit Pakistan on 26 June to attend a meeting of home ministers of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations.

Voices against the talks with Pakistan are tough in India. “Pakistan is trying to divert the attention from the issue of terrorism and focus on Kashmir and water issues. Are you going to fall into that trap?” said G. Parthasarathy, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan.

The main Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was skeptical about the latest development and asked the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government to reveal details about the proposed dialogue. “The accelerated pace of discussion needs more explanation from the government,” party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.

Terror and talks will not go together. While dealing with Pakistan India have to learn some lessons from United States of America. In America national security is supreme. Look at the actions taken by America on Pakistan after the recent failed terror attack at New York’s Times Square.

Indo-Pak peace talks will not help in easing tensions between the two countries. Every time when India offered her hand for friendship, Pakistan has bust India’s trust. India has to adopt a strategic stand in Pakistan issue. While in talks be firm and don’t forget that sometimes dialogue may not be the solution.

Dipin Damodharan is a Journalist based in Kerala. He is reachable on dipinbharath@gmail.com