November 21, 2024

The Prime Minister of Pakistan writes to the Indian Prime Minister proposing that talks should take place to solve issues between the two nations. Taking this on good faith, the Indian government arranges for the foreign ministers of the two nations to meet on the sidelines of the UNGA. But what happens? Hijbul Mujahideen, the dreaded terrorist organization working in J & K and fully supported by the ISI, abducts and kills three special police officers attached to the J & K police to carry out their threat and spread terror. With panchayat elections due in the state, the ISI will activate all terror cells to create disturbances in order to scare people away from the booths and ‘prove’ that Indian democracy has failed in J & K.

Against this background, India’s decision of not going through with the meeting of foreign ministers cannot be faulted. Pakistan cannot be allowed the luxury of having its cake and eating it too. It becomes an angel in the eyes of other nations when it offers to sit for talks. But on the other hand, it keeps supporting terrorist organizations and creates disturbances in India through them. The Indian government’s position is clear – talks and terror cannot take place side by side. It seems that the change of guard in Pakistan has not made much of a difference. It is clear that the Pakistani military is still calling the shots and it will not stop the proxy war it is fighting against India through handpicked, trained and supported terrorist organizations. Pakistan must first ask its army to stop cross-border shelling and all terrorist groups to stop operating to create an atmosphere conducive for talks. Only then will such talk be meaningful.