Modi Sharif handshake - was it mere courtesy photo
op or was there something more to it
New Delhi: News and social media went into frenzy after Prime
Minister Narendra Modiwalked up to his
Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of a climate change summit in Paris and
shook hands.
Many jumped the gun and started discussing the fate of the stalled talks
between the two countries. Was the handshake a mere courtesy photo-op, or was
there something more to it? And so on and so forth. Well, one just does not
know what the two leaders discussed, but one thing is certain that they did not
discuss the climate of Paris. But what mattered most was the handshake which
replaced the most important Paris climate talks as the lead story in Indian and
Pakistani newspapers.
Tongues have started wagging about the future of the talks. What a
prosaic interpretation? Is there any doubt about resumption of talks?
Absolutely not! It is just a matter of time when the two countries will again
start talk the talk, but what is more important is whether they will walk the
walk.
No two neighbours can remain in a perpetual mode of denial for long. In
the past also, the two countries have been involved in talks despite going to
full-fledged wars three times and a brief conflict in Kargil in 1999 since
their independence. But they were back to talks after sometime. It is an on and
off exercise which will go on before the two nations regain trust about each
other to operationalise the full-scale structured talks.
The leadership of both the countries is mature enough to understand that
war would only lead to catastrophe and complicate the matters beyond repairs.
Dialogue can only take them forward to any meaningful and lasting solution to
the issues that bedevil their relations.
But for that to happen, a congenial atmosphere is the basic requirement.
Incidents in the last few months have only widened the trust deficit as both
the countries view each other with suspicion. The media of the two countries
has also played a devilish role by resorting to jingoist rhetoric forcing the
hands of the leadership of both the countries to move cautiously. The
cross-border firing, increase in militant activities in Kashmir, the recent
arrest of agents affiliated to Pakistan's intelligence agency in India do not
augur well for the immediate resumption of talks, even though cosmetic, in the
immediate future.
The handshake offers a ray of hope. One hopes that this gesture turns
out to be ice-breaker before the winter chill sets in. This was their second
meeting this year after they met in the Russian city of Ufa in July and decided
to give a push to the stalled talks by agreeing to a meeting of National
Security Advisors. But sadly, the meeting just failed to take off as both the
sides stuck to unreasonable grounds. There was another opportunity a month
later in the United Nations General Assembly session for them to meet. But by
then the ties had soured and the two leaders intentionally decided to stay away
from public glare by only waving at each other.
Talks for the sake of talks should be avoided. Both the countries should
do some serious introspection and adopt a pragmatic approach if they are really
serious in taking the talks forward. Nawaz Sharif's recent offer of
unconditional talks with India during his meeting with British Premier David
Cameron on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Malta has largely gone
unnoticed in India as New Delhi has not even bothered to take note of it, leave
aside making any comments.
Pakistan needs to understand that talks and terror can't go hand in
hand. At a time, when the world has been rattled by a series of bloody
terrorist activities, the sentiments are running high against terrorist groups.
And to expect India to enter into talks with Pakistan as long as it is seen as
in collusion with terrorist groups is asking for too much. Pakistan needs to
make some forward movement in this regard before it can hope for resumption of
normal ties.
The use of terrorism as a state policy is falling apart as the nations
themselves are feeling the pinch. Who knows is better than Pakistan which has
suffered the most? The same groups whom it cradled have started turning their
back on it and are causing the maximum damage. Terrorism today poses a major
threat to the world than anything else. The Paris attacks have only emboldened
the resolve of the global community to formulate a common and concerted
strategy to defang this monster which is spreading its tentacles.
There is an opportunity before Pakistan to join the global war against
terrorism to regain its bruised image. India is not the only country which
views its estranged neighbour with suspicion. The list is endless. Pakistan has
been ticked off by major powers from time to time. It should listen to the sage
counsel and launch a war against terrorism. There is no doubt that it will feel
the pain initially, but this pain is worth suffering, because if it is allowed
to fester it will become a deadly disease and amputation will be the only
recourse. It is up to Pakistan to decide which path it wants to tread. Talks
with India can wait.
ANI
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