Author: Satinder K. Lambah
Publication: Outlook
Date: February 24, 2003
Introduction: International support
is essential but finally, the battle against terrorism has to be fought
by us alone.
At the outset, some home truths
about Pakistan need to be reiterated. One, Pakistan was created on the
basis of Islam but that still couldn't bind its diverse society together.
The concept of nationhood was, therefore, defined in narrow, anti- Indian
terms. This will continue, even if there is an acceptable solution on Kashmir.
Two, the Punjabi elite have always dominated all institutions of governance
in Pakistan- the army, civil services and political establishment. Three,
the army, whether or not in power, is the final arbiter in Pakistani politics
and issues relating to Indo-Pakistan relations. So India's objectives have
to be precisely and directly conveyed to Pakistan. These are:
* India wants peaceful, cooperative
relations with Pakistan.
* Pakistan can't be allowed to
ignore, bypass or undermine any earlier agreement, whether signed in Shimla,
Lahore or elsewhere.
* No unlawful infiltration of men,
narcotics or arms will be allowed. This is a prerequisite for any substantial
dialogue.
* No nuclear blackmail will be
tolerated.
* Any attempt to disrupt the communal
situation in India will not only be resisted but will be met with a heavy
hand.
For us, it is important not to be
deflected from our long-term goals even during moments of tension. There
is a need to restore diplomatic relations to a higher level to ensure useful
interaction. On crucial occasions, in the past, diplomatic contacts have
helped diffuse Indo-Pak tensions. One must remember that even at the height
of their confrontation, the US and the erstwhile Soviet Union maintained
full diplomatic relations. So channels of communication must remain open
as, eventually, there'll be no alternative to a bilateral dialogue.
Unfortunately, cross-border terrorism
has been a part of Pakistan's psyche as regards relations with India. It
needs to be emphasised, and not merely in words, that our patience is not
unlimited and actions like the attack on Parliament will no longer go unpunished.
There's also the matter of Indian
diplomats being harassed in Pakistan. There was once a pertinent comment
that while Pakistani diplomats in India are toasted, Indian diplomats there
are roasted. This is generally true but there are also some warm, pleasant
memories. Even so, the bilateral agreement on the Code of Conduct for Treatment
of Diplomatic/Consular personnel on both sides needs to be reviewed.
Pakistan's unique contribution to
the perversion of the deterrence theory is another matter. Deterrence works
best when it is backed by a status quoist policy as, for example, of nato
during the Cold War. Pakistan is using its nuclear card to change the status
quo vis-a-vis India, based on the belief that even with the continued cross-border
terrorism, a military response from India is unlikely because of the nuclear
equation. Pakistan knows that India has the political and military means
to effectively respond to such attempts. At the other level, it should
be reminded that we are ready to cooperate on nuclear matters, including
having a bilateral agreement on no-first use of N-weapons against each
other.
Meanwhile, economic and trade relations
are always important. Pakistan does not want these links with India because
it is concerned that such interaction will create a pro-India lobby there.
Those who lecture us on more concessions must first persuade Pakistan to
give India the notional MFN (most favoured nation) status and adhere to
the safta (South Asian Free Trade Agreement) arrangements which had been
agreed to at the Kathmandu SAARC meeting. In fact, we can even approach
the WTO regarding the MFN status.
At this juncture, we cannot allow
Pakistan to misinterpret any Indian gesture as a sign of weakness. This
may make the thought of cultural/sports/travel contacts sound odd.But it
is important not to lose sight of these common denominators. In the long
run, it'll encourage people-to-people contact. We can't lose sight of the
fact that saner elements do exist in Pakistan. The emergence of satellite
TV has helped in this regard, creating an awareness about India that was
earlier lacking.
Diplomatic pressure, of course,
has to continue. The international community has to be convinced that what
is being inflicted on us is harmful to the stability of the region and
that we are equally serious both in our campaign to combat terrorism and
in our resolve on peaceful coexistence.
Pakistan's descent into international
isolation through the '90s was suddenly reversed by 9/11. The international
community must realise that Pakistan cannot be trusted as a partner in
the coalition against terrorism. Its abetment of the Taliban, the promoting
of terror in J&K, nuclear cooperation with North Korea and the nurturing
of terrorist groups (the victims include foreigners) are explicit examples
of Pakistan's design.
Most countries are unwilling to
publicly acknowledge Pakistan's activities against us as terrorism because
either they don't want to get involved or they harbour double standards.
So even though seeking and securing international support is essential,
there is the danger of basing our policy on wishful expectation. Finally,
the battle against terrorism has to be fought by us alone.
So it's doubly important that while
explaining our case to other countries it be clearly stated that Jammu
& Kashmir is a part of India and hence non-negotiable. We should also
make the world aware of the deplorable living conditions in Pakistan- occupied
Kashmir. In our own area, the need to take advantage of the improved situation
in J&K after the elections cannot be overemphasised. Setting our own
house in order will make it all the more difficult for Pakistan to meddle
in our internal affairs. A situation cannot be created anywhere in India
which enables Pakistan to exploit communal or ethnic faultlines.
It must be remembered that Pakistan
enjoys the attention we give them. Even a small bilateral incident makes
headlines. The trick is to treat them as just another neighbour.
(The author, a former high commissioner
to Pakistan, was till recently special envoy for Afghanistan)
