Sharif gets Pak army to back off on India peace bid
PM TALKS ON THE CARDS
ISLAMABAD: Unlike his predecessors, Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif seems to have got some leeway from the country’s powerful military establishment in pursuing peace with India.
Islamabad’s relations with New Delhi fall under the ambit of the army leadership, which closely monitors any dealings Pakistan’s diplomats or politicians make. “The ISI works out of the foreign office. India, China and the US are areas of special concern,” concedes a former Pakistan envoy to India.
Since his return to power in May, the Punjabi PM’S India strategy has been to focus on tions. Even here, the army has stepped in on many occasions, such as in the case of according India MFN (most favoured nation) status and easing visa restrictions. A former secretary of the commerce ministry recalls how he had to give two briefings after talks with Indian the other to the ISI.
However, there is a change, albeit a small one. Sharif is now effectively curtailing the military’s role in civilian affairs. He has been consistent in his stance that the army stay away from political issues. Even on the thorny subject of talks with the army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, for issuing a statement ahead of his policy announcement.
Power politics in Pakistan suggests a leader from the country’s largest province is the only person who can push back the army which also gets the bulk from Punjab.
“This is how it works in Pakistan. Only a Punjabi can push back a Punjabi,” says Ayaz Khan, a senior Lahore journalist.
Expectations from Sharif are high. Private discussions with Sartaj Aziz, his de-facto foreign minister, suggest the challenge is two-pronged: pursue confidence building measures to win back India’s trust while checking the activities of militants and non state actors, who get an active push from the intelligence agen cies. “The more difficult chal lenge is to check people like (Lashkar chief) Hafiz Saeed who operate with impunity thanks to official patronage,” says defence analyst Aisha Siddiqa