Author: Mohammad Shehzad in Islamabad
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: June 24, 2003
Kuldip Nayar's June 20 assertion
in Islamabad that India-Pakistan relations could not progress as long as
Pakistan continued to sponsor cross border terrorism has sparked off angry
reactions in Pakistan.
Nayar is leading a six-member parliamentary
delegation on a nine-day, three-city tour of Pakistan.
At a gathering in Islamabad organized
by the Pakistan-India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy, Nayar asserted
that the Pakistani establishment -- including its army, Inter Services
Intelligence and jihadis -- was not sincere in forging peace with India.
While some intelligence operatives in civvies and officials from government-backed
think tanks like the Institute of Policy Studies were present at the gathering,
no one from the foreign ministry was present.
"I was inside Parliament on December
13 [2001] when it was echoing with the sound of bullets. We feared
for our lives. Incidents like December 13 should not take place," Nayar
said, expressing fears that radical Islamists could mastermind similar
attacks to derail the peace process.
Nayar's remarks on CBT in Islamabad,
and earlier in Lahore, annoyed many in Pakistan.
Sana Ullah Baloch, a senator from
the Balochistan National Party, felt Nayar had slapped Pakistan's face
in Pakistan by talking of CBT in Islamabad. "The Pakistani establishment
should take a serious notice of his remarks. If there is really something
like cross border terrorism, the establishment should end it or it should
clarify its position at every forum."
In a June 19 editorial, Nawa-i-Waqt
described Nayar as 'cunning, well-informed and intellectual.' Nawa-i-Waqt
is the oldest Urdu publication in Pakistan, and Nayar has a weekly column
in its sister publication, The Nation.
'His sympathies with human beings
can't be questioned but when he is influenced by a particular Hindu mentality
and Hindutva patriotism, he ignores the key issue that has sown the seeds
of hatred between the two countries -- the Kashmir issue,' the editorial
said.
But the newspaper hailed Nayar's
patriotism and compared the Indian veteran with Pakistani peace activist
Dr Mubashir Hassan.
'Nayar is thousand times more patriotic
when compared to Hassan who demonizes Pakistan in India. Whereas Nayyar
comes to Pakistan and vociferously forwards his government's and Hindutva's
agenda. He speaks from the mouth of Nehru and Vajpayee on the issue of
Kashmir. He has never tried to make his government realize that there is
a UN resolution on the issue of Kashmir that should be respected,' the
editorial said.
Nayar's claims to have given 55
years of his life for peace between India and Pakistan was questioned.
'Nayarsaheb has not spearheaded any campaign to contain the extremism of
the Indian government and propel the plebiscite in Kashmir. His assertion
that he has no solution for Kashmir is totally unacceptable. He is a person
who influences public opinion in India. It is unfortunate and sad he is
acting as a mouthpiece of the Indian Foreign Office and harping on the
cliche, Kashmir atoot ang,' the paper said.
The editorial commended the Indian
MPs for safeguarding their country's national interests during their visit
to Pakistan, and condemned Pakistani intellectuals for spitting venom against
Pakistan during their visits to India. 'Pakistanis should learn from Kuldip
Nayar. How cleverly he is using the Track II forum to further Indian objectives.
Dhanyavad Maharaj, Dhanyavad!'
Responding to Nayar's comments at
a lunch hosted by Sherry Rehman, the Pakistan People's Party member of
the national assembly asked the Indian MPs to tell their government to
demilitarize Kashmir and explore the 'cause-and-effect' relationship on
the insurgency in Kashmir.
Demanding access to the valley for
human rights organizations, independent observers and journalists, Rehman
asked, 'Why can't the Indians accept independent monitors along the Line
of Control?' Endorsing a trilateral solution to Kashmir, since the Kashmiris
were the major stakeholders, she said she was frustrated by the zero gender
balance and inability of two BJP MPs to join the Indian delegation.
Only six of the scheduled 12 Indian
MPs actually made it to Pakistan, with the others, including two women,
pulling out at the last minute. 'The female MPs were not allowed by their
husbands to visit India,' was Nayar's explanation.
Rehman did not miss the opportunity
to score a point. 'This is funny. My husband did not stop me (from visiting
India recently). And this is happening in the world's largest democracy.'
Asked whether he -- as a politician
-- believed Pakistan was sponsoring cross border terrorism, Sana Ullah
Baloch replied: "As politicians we are never given any respect or importance.
We are never given decision-making powers. Such serious issues are never
discussed with Pakistani parliamentarians. We have been condemned to live
in darkness, therefore, we don't know what's happening in the open."
Dawn columnist Ayaz Amir perceived
the group of Indian MPs as "lacklustre." "This is not a parliamentary delegation.
It has no representation from the BJP. It is a 'below par' delegation received
by a very narrow spectrum of Pakistani intelligentsia. I don't think it
could make a great difference," he said.
Countering Nayyar's CBT concerns,
Amir maintained: "The Indians can't deny that the Kashmiris are fighting
for freedom and paying the price in terms of their lives. Nobody can stop
Palestinians fighting for their freedom but if Syrians, Iranians and Jordanians
start fighting for them with the conviction to bring Israel to the negotiating
table, then the whole enterprise becomes doubtful. Similarly, if ISI and
jihadis from Lashkar and Jaish fight for the Kashmiris, then India would
raise this issue. The Pakistani establishment will have to understand that
the ISI and jihadi involvement in Kashmir has achieved nothing."
Amir wanted both the Indian and
Pakistani leadership to desist from rhetoric and "nonsense" like Prime
Minister A B Vajpayee's threat of a fourth defeat to Pakistan and President
Pervez Musharraf's refusal to rule out another Kargil. "Such words should
not be uttered by both sides. We need to understand that jihad will not
be allowed anymore. The climate for it has ceased to exist and we can't
afford to cling to it," he said.
In Islamabad, the Indian delegation
met Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri; a dinner was hosted for the
MPs by Acting President Mian Mohammad Soomro. Musharraf is now in the US.
Another dinner was hosted by PPP MP Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan.
