Krishna, Qureshi spar over Kashmir, Balochistan
Islamabad: India and Pakistan foreign ministers were involved in a public sparring match over Kashmir and Balochistan after hours of close door meeting in Islamabad on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna met Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi three times on Thursday in an effort to revive the peace process that was broken off after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people. But eventually both countries were unable to find a meeting ground on most of the irritants in bilateral relations.
The mandate for the two ministers was to reduce the trust deficit but the outcome seemed to have only served to widen the gap between Indian and Pakistani positions. India has been pushing Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks as a pre-condition for relaunching the peaceprocess between the two neighbours. Krishna said that Pakistan assured India of investigating the Mumbai terror attacks case.
“Foreign Minister Qureshi has assured me that the investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks case, taking into account the additional information of David Coleman Headley will be pursued vigorously, “said Krishna.
But Qureshi replied, “From now to till late November, we can proceed on such steps and at the end of the year; we could meet."
He has further pointed on the India's response to the destabilisation of Pakistan and Balochistan.
“I think the interaction that one had with the Home Minister (P Chidambaram) was very encouraging. His response was that India is not interested in the destabilisation of Pakistan and that includes Balochistan,” added Qureshi.
However, Krishna reply was: "We have been waiting in India for some evidence to be provided by Pakistanof India's involvement in Balochistan."
With every passing questions and the answers the foreign ministers gave, it seems to increasingly clear that the distance between Indian and Pakistani position could not be further apart whether it was on the Pakistani reaction to Headley's interrogation or Kashmir or Balochistan. The two sides seem to take an increasingly belligerent attitude. The peace process as it were of the last seven months seems to have received an extremely serious set back.
Neither minister announced any concrete measures that might soothe tensions between the two countries. Krishna and Qureshi have wrapped up their briefing in Islamabad.
However, there was no breakthrough, but no breakdown either. The two ministers will meet again although it may only be sometime later this year. Qureshi held out some assurance on 26/11 attacks.
"There are issues which are of significance to India and progress in the Mumbai trial. Cooperation in the overcoming the challenge of terrorism is important. The minister has raised this question that he was concerned about certain speeches that promote hate. And I do agree that the both sides to create an enabling environment “added Qureshi.
What also left the Indian delegation surprised was Qureshi's statement against Indian Home Secretary GK PIllai for saying that the ISI was involved in the 26/11 attacks. Qureshi termed Pillai's statement as "uncalled for".
But a mystery remained through much of the day the word filtering out from behind closed doors was that the talks were going well. There would be tangible outcomes- only to be disappointed at the end.
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