There was no acceptance of responsibility, sign of remorse or commitment from the Pakistani Foreign Minister about her country’s approach to terrorism statesponsored or otherwise, originating from her soil against India

Hina Rabbani Khar, a scion of a powerful political family of Pakistan and newly appointed foreign minister did charm the Indian audience with her elegance during her first visit to Delhi. Khar came with the message that Pakistan was prepared to shed the burden of history and was looking forward to heralding a new era in the relationship. However, a deeper analysis of the latest interaction between the foreign policy establishments of India and Pakistan reveals that the visit is unlikely to have any impact on the hostility between the two nations that have been in a state of perpetual confrontation during the last 64 years.

While Khar’s demeanour was far more pleasing than that of her somewhat obnoxious predecessor, it could barely conceal the agenda of the Pakistani establishment. Almost immediately on arrival in India, the Pakistani Foreign Minister met with the Kashmiri separatist leaders at the Pakistani High Commission. While the interaction with the Kashmiri secessionist forces in India was held on Pakistani soil technically (High Commission), it was not only unwarranted but even to one uninitiated in the art of diplomacy, was utterly inappropriate, impertinent and even provocative. Despite her claim to the contrary, it should be clear to India that Khar is not an independent functionary in the national polity of Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Minister was only acting as per the agenda of the Pakistani military and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) who call the shots in Islamabad and on their behalf delivering a clear message to India with regard to their position on Kashmir. Although the misdemeanour was later played down by the Pakistani diplomatic establishment, the meeting with the Huriyat leaders is bound to provide a powerful impetus to the separatist forces in Kashmir thereby impinging on the peace process.

As for the outcome of the meeting between the two foreign ministers, there were only bland statements regarding trade and travel across the Line of Control (LoC) and the need to sustain dialogue uninterrupted. On the crucial issue of terror threat from Pakistan, India not only drew a complete blank but Khar went on the offensive describing India’s view on terrorism as “dated” and stated categorically that no progress was possible with the existing trust deficit. She went on to say that both the nations must shed their perceptions hardened over time and accept each other’s ground realities and compulsions. On the issue of Pakistan dragging its feet in bringing the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack on Mumbai to book, Khar played the ball right back in India’s court stating that even those in India guilty of the Samjhauta Express blast were yet to be punished. There was no acceptance of responsibility, sign of remorse or commitment from the Pakistani Foreign Minister about her country’s approach to terrorism statesponsored or otherwise, originating from her soil against India.

In the final analysis, despite the profound rhetoric emanating from both sides pertaining to the new era in the Indo-Pak relationship that is about to dawn upon us, there is unlikely to be any real change in the ground situation. It would therefore be futile for India to expect reduction in the level of threat from terrorism from across the western border. Complacency on the internal security front therefore could prove to be suicidal.