The full import of India's concession to Pakistan by including Balochistan in the joint statement released in Egypt is slowly dawning now.
The full import of India's concession to Pakistan in Sharm el-Sheikh by including Balochistan in the joint statement released after the Singh-Gilani talks is slowly dawning now. It is expected to become Islamabad’s talking point in exchanges with the international community.
A Karachi daily reported that evidence of India's involvement in subversive activity in Pakistan was handed over to Manmohan Singh by Yousaf Raza Gilani. In the coming months, Pakistan is likely to counter all allegations about Mumbai and other terror attacks by its counter charge on India.
This is why the opposition and analysts in India were so worked up by the language used in the joint statement. It is surprising that the normally careful foreign service officers, including Shivshankar Menon, would have drafted the statement so shoddily.
India’s explanation is simple. "We have nothing to hide," the prime minister said. "We are an open book." He said Pakistan can conduct its investigations but it will be unable to come up with anything because India's hands are clean.
"It is naive to believe that Pakistan brought in Balochistan without a purpose," said Kanwal Sibal, former foreign secretary. "The drafting has been careless."
Analyst Ajai Sahni termed Pakistan's claim about India destabilising it 'kite-flying'. "We understand the PM's explanation that India has nothing to hide. But the attempt now would be to wring dry the mention of Balochistan in the statement. Pakistan wants to turn the tables by pointing fingers at us and hoping it will take off some pressure to act against anti-India terror groups.
"They will use the joint statement in every forum to sidetrack the main issue of action on terror," Sahani said. "The statement should have included India's denial of interference in Balochistan."
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