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Sunday, November 13, 2011
Another Mumbai will be a setback for Indo-Pak ties: Singh ON BOARD PM'S AIRCRAFT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday defended his outreach to Pakistan, saying that that the army there also favoured peace process, but declared that another Mumbai-type attack will end the peace process and that this is fully understood by his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, Indian media reported.
Singh, who was talking to mediapersons on his way back to India from the Saarc summit in Maldives, said that he got the impression that "after a very long time", the Pakistan armed forces were also on board in the Indo-Pak dialogue process.
Asked about his ringing endorsement of Gilani as a "man of peace," the PM said he was not placing "blind faith in a person howsoever well meaning...With Pakistan it is trust but verify." He repeated the phrase twice. In his opening remarks, he stressed that his pitch for peace was based on the condition that Pakistan would work to stop terror attacks on India. "Both (he and Gilani) realized that another Mumbai will be a setback...This is fully understood by PM Gilani." Later, he elaborated saying that strong evidence of Pakistan's involvement in an act of terror will be a "strong negative".
Elaborating on actions that can indicate Pakistan's sincerity in delivering on peace commitments, Singh said "It will certainly help if Pakistan realizes that terror as an instrument of state policy has not solved any country's problems." In this context, Indian public opinion feels that the peace process cannot progress unless the 26/11 guilty are punished.
The PM did explain why, despite the stern caveats he inserted into the post-script of his meeting with Gilani in Maldives where both felt a new chapter in bilateral relations beckon, he found the Pakistani leader a likely partner in peace. He said that in his four-five meetings with Gilani, he had found him ready to acknowledge the problem of terrorism. Pakistan's policy of supporting terror has "given rise to Pakistani terrorism," Singh said. "In (Gilani) we have a leader willing to work for a peaceful resolution of all disputes", he added.
The PM did provide more clues to his Pakistan policy, referring to the need to strengthen the "democratic government" in that country that seems interested in finding peaceful resolutions to animosity although Singh is obviously aware of Islamabad's track record of duplicity on terror.
The PM made it clear that he is likely to accept Gilani's invitation to visit Pakistan only if he is convinced that there is "solid business" to transact. "If I feel that such a situation has been reached, I will accept the invitation."
With the Opposition criticizing Singh for investing in Gilani's leadership at a time when Islamabad was still to progress on acting against anti-India terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and terrorist launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the conditions that the PM spelt out came across as robust counter-measures.
Singh saw improvements in trade and economic relations as a step forward with Pakistan's recent decision to offer most favoured nation (MFN) status to India as opening new opportunities. Confidence building measures across the line of control (LoC) can make the lives of people on both sides easier.
The PM's Pakistan outreach saw him defending the initiative against doubts whether Gilani was indeed capable of delivering on his professed opposition to terrorism. Singh noted that the likelihood of a Pakistani judicial commission on 26/11 travelling to India could mark a forward movement and translate into more concrete actions.
Bolstering Gilani is seen as a gambit to help a leader who has argued that he recognizes that terrorism is not discriminating and Pakistan society is also facing a serious threat. Singh has tried to work on this concern with the Pakistan leadership, pointing out that the country's political and social institutions are under siege.
The assessment at the top levels of the Indian government is that the Pakistan establishment - both civilian and military - is not terribly sure of the path ahead with changes in the regional environment where disturbed relations on both eastern and western borders do seem good strategy.
Another Mumbai will be a setback for Indo-Pak ties: Singh ON BOARD PM'S AIRCRAFT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday defended his outreach to Pakistan, saying that that the army there also favoured peace process, but declared that another Mumbai-type attack will end the peace process and that this is fully understood by his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, Indian media reported.
Singh, who was talking to mediapersons on his way back to India from the Saarc summit in Maldives, said that he got the impression that "after a very long time", the Pakistan armed forces were also on board in the Indo-Pak dialogue process.
Asked about his ringing endorsement of Gilani as a "man of peace," the PM said he was not placing "blind faith in a person howsoever well meaning...With Pakistan it is trust but verify." He repeated the phrase twice. In his opening remarks, he stressed that his pitch for peace was based on the condition that Pakistan would work to stop terror attacks on India. "Both (he and Gilani) realized that another Mumbai will be a setback...This is fully understood by PM Gilani." Later, he elaborated saying that strong evidence of Pakistan's involvement in an act of terror will be a "strong negative".
Elaborating on actions that can indicate Pakistan's sincerity in delivering on peace commitments, Singh said "It will certainly help if Pakistan realizes that terror as an instrument of state policy has not solved any country's problems." In this context, Indian public opinion feels that the peace process cannot progress unless the 26/11 guilty are punished.
The PM did explain why, despite the stern caveats he inserted into the post-script of his meeting with Gilani in Maldives where both felt a new chapter in bilateral relations beckon, he found the Pakistani leader a likely partner in peace. He said that in his four-five meetings with Gilani, he had found him ready to acknowledge the problem of terrorism. Pakistan's policy of supporting terror has "given rise to Pakistani terrorism," Singh said. "In (Gilani) we have a leader willing to work for a peaceful resolution of all disputes", he added.
The PM did provide more clues to his Pakistan policy, referring to the need to strengthen the "democratic government" in that country that seems interested in finding peaceful resolutions to animosity although Singh is obviously aware of Islamabad's track record of duplicity on terror.
The PM made it clear that he is likely to accept Gilani's invitation to visit Pakistan only if he is convinced that there is "solid business" to transact. "If I feel that such a situation has been reached, I will accept the invitation."
With the Opposition criticizing Singh for investing in Gilani's leadership at a time when Islamabad was still to progress on acting against anti-India terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and terrorist launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the conditions that the PM spelt out came across as robust counter-measures.
Singh saw improvements in trade and economic relations as a step forward with Pakistan's recent decision to offer most favoured nation (MFN) status to India as opening new opportunities. Confidence building measures across the line of control (LoC) can make the lives of people on both sides easier.
The PM's Pakistan outreach saw him defending the initiative against doubts whether Gilani was indeed capable of delivering on his professed opposition to terrorism. Singh noted that the likelihood of a Pakistani judicial commission on 26/11 travelling to India could mark a forward movement and translate into more concrete actions.
Bolstering Gilani is seen as a gambit to help a leader who has argued that he recognizes that terrorism is not discriminating and Pakistan society is also facing a serious threat. Singh has tried to work on this concern with the Pakistan leadership, pointing out that the country's political and social institutions are under siege.
The assessment at the top levels of the Indian government is that the Pakistan establishment - both civilian and military - is not terribly sure of the path ahead with changes in the regional environment where disturbed relations on both eastern and western borders do seem good strategy.
If modi comes to power..Pakistan would p!ss in its pant and wouldn't dare to do a mumbai style attack again...and still if it does..you could well start hearing the death knell
