Pak offers essential medical supplies to virus-hit India
Govt has offered to provide relief support including ventilators, oxygen supply kits, digital X-ray machines, PPES and related items: Ministry; India’s offer led to ‘quiet’ talks on all key issues: Report
Pakistan offered to send essential medical supplies to its neighbour that’s in the grip of a devastating coronavirus surge that has depleted oxygen stocks and other hospital needs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that as a gesture of solidarity with the people of India, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support including ventilators, oxygen supply kits, digital X-ray machines, PPES and related items.
It said authorities of both countries can work out modalities for a quick delivery of the items and can also explore possible ways of further co-operation to mitigate the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The offer came a day ater Prime Minister Imran Khan in a tweet prayed for the “speedy recovery of the Indian people affected by the virus.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan, believing in a policy of humanity first, made the offer to India and is awaiting a response.
Despite all the differences with India, Pakistanis are praying for them as the country faces a deadly wave of coronavirus which has collapsed their health system. Considering the worst situation in India, many Pakistanis have come out with their prayers for their neighbours.
On Friday, Edhi Foundation, in a magnanimous gesture offered a fleet of 50 ambulances and its staff to help manage the crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic in India.
Apart from Edhi, many Pakistanis, including federal ministers, have expressed their sentiments on social media.
The tweets came from a wide spectrum of people, with a trend #Pakistanstandswithindia also being on top in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, a report said that in a major development, India approached Pakistan in December 2020 with an offer to reduce tension and offered backchannel talks on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan reciprocated favourably, fresh information emanating from official quarters has confirmed.
The Indian offer was discussed among the top Pakistan leadership and a decision was taken to explore all avenues for a peaceful setlement of conflicts by engaging in quiet talks, according to high-level official sources.
India proposed that the two countries start talking on all outstanding issues side by side instead of lumping them together in a composite dialogue, said the sources. The Pakistani leadership has agreed to explore all options that can lead to lowering of tension.
“It is an opportune time for us to take a strategic pause,” said an official. “We need a break from the cycle of violence and focus on domestic issues.”
For the two South Asian neighbours that nearly went to war in 2019, the recent moves constitute a major policy initiative towards normalisation of ties. They also reflect the changing dynamics in Islamabad and New Delhi whereby those advocating greater engagement have begun to dominate those people who espoused a hardline and hawkish approach within decisionmaking circles.
The backchannel talks, sources confirm, are being held between the intelligence leaderships of the two countries. Sources said New Delhi had preferred that these quiet negotiations take place at this level instead of through a political plaform, and Islamabad had consented.
Officials now acknowledge that Pakistan’s primary interest at this initial stage is that Kashmir gets back its statehood and India agrees not to bring about any demographic changes in the disputed territory. Both governments have agreed not to involve any third party in this initiative for now.
There appears to be a newfound clarity in the Pakistani leadership about pushing for a fresh round of engagement with India ater a dangerous round of hostilities. Accordingly, Pakistan seems willing to explore outstanding issues separately in a bid to resolve whichever conflicts present agreeable solutions. The Sir Creek dispute may be one such “low-hanging fruit.”
Officials argue that both Pakistan and India have pursued direct and indirect policies to resolve the Kashmir issue and have failed. “Isn’t it time we go back to the drawing board and try to find a new strategy,” said an official.