India and Pakistan are back to their old ways. The foreign office spokesmen of both countries last week repeatedly hit out at each other
NEW DELHI; India and Pakistan are back to their old ways. The foreign office spokesmen of both countries last week repeatedly hit out at each other, even as hopes of the peace process going forward took a beating as unrest continued to convulse Kashmir.
Yet on Thursday, the K-word was kept out from Pakistan premier Yousuf Raza Gilani’s message of greeting to prime minister Manmohan Singh. The message to Singh and the people of India ahead of the country’s 61st birthday, was cordial. Pakistan celebrates its independence a day ahead of India on August 14. The gist of Gilani’s message was a desire to improve relations with India and resolve all outstanding disputes between the two countries in a just and peaceful manner. All ‘outstanding issues’ naturally involve Kashmir, but the word was not used.
President Pervez Musharraf sent a similar message to his Indian counterpart Pratibha Patil. Yet just 24 hours earlier Pakistan has roundly condemned police action in Kashmir and said it would approach the UN, the Organization of Islamic Conference and the international community to focus on the human rights abuse in the only Muslim-majority state in the country. India quickly hit back and said it was none of Pakistan’s business to comment on its internal issue.
The reference to third party intervention in Kashmir is a throwback to the old days when PPP leader Benazir Bhutto introduced a resolution in the Human Rights convention in Geneva against Indian atrocities in Kashmir. But in the last four years the situation had improved considerably. Though it was hard to shake off years of historical baggage and no major break through was in sight on pivotal issues, relations were getting back to normal.
Relations between the neighbours hit a new low ever since the July 7 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul. The situation is unlikely to improve with old animosities surfacing.
g_seema@dnaindia.net
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