Envoy clears air on policy toward India

Basit says two countries cannot ‘escape’ from bilateral engagement

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is in the “driving seat” in handling relations with India, Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit has said, seeking to dispel the perception that its powerful army called the shots.

Basit’s remarks assume significance as foreign policy experts in India feel the Pakistan army scuttles any forward movement in India-Pakistan ties. At present, the engagement between the two South Asian neighbours is suspended following a series of attacks carried out in India by Pakistan-based militant groups.

‘PM in driving seat’

However, Basit said categorically that the two countries cannot “escape” from bilateral engagement. They cannot live in “perpetual hostility”, he asserted.

“We are very happy that our army is one of the best in the world. At the same time, our democracy has taken deep roots during the last 8-9 years. And I have no doubt that our prime minister, who is an elected prime minister, is in the driving seat when it comes to policy matters. It is the civilian side which calls the shots.

“In all democratic countries including India, you do take inputs from all the stakeholders and that is what we also do in Pakistan. There is nothing out of the ordinary in that. Our relations with India are very important part of our foreign policy, So, if there are inputs from our security agencies, there is nothing extraordinary,” he said.

The Pakistani High Commissioner also noted that the pattern in India-Pakistan ties was “one step forward and two steps backward”.

Therefore, it is important the two countries build on past progress and not squander them, he added.

“It is unnatural not to talk or not have normal relations. It is absolutely incumbent on both sides to keep the door ajar (for talks). We cannot live in perpetual hostility,” Basit said.

He also said he was convinced that sooner or later, the two countries will come to the negotiating table.

On the reasons for ties to sink after a promising start at the beginning of the Modi government’s tenure in 2014, Basit said, “Obviously from the Indian view point Pathankot was one incident.”