Why Bilateral Talks Are not the permanent Solution in India-Pak Issues

On 26 February 2019, India woke up with the news of terrorist camps in Pok (Pak Occupied Kashmir) destroyed by Indian Airforce. An operation that only took around 25 minutes showed the world, how safe and secure the terrorists were inside Pakistan. The entire building complexes used by terror outfit Jaish-e-muhammad was for training Jihad in J&K. An estimated 200 to 300 terrorists were said to be dead in the process, thus providing a fatal blow for the lies laid out by Pakistan in last few days. The attack is a clear retaliation for February 14 suicide bombing which took life of many Indian soldiers in Kashmir.

Now as Imran Khan’s government is keen on opening a bilateral peace talk with PM Narendra Modi, question still stands unclear on what extend to which Imran Khan would go against the state terror which troubled his predecessors as well. With Hafees Sayyed still under safe custody of Pakistan and an army under close watch, things won’t be easy for Imran in home turf after all. Also with the international pressure mounting up, collapse of economy and a failed attempt for an airstrike against India, crisis is deepening. Even China, for the first time choose to stand against Pakistan, acknowledging India’s rights against counter-terrorism. With the Islamic body criticising Pakistan’s role and inviting India over for it’s conference, showed the extend to which Pakistan’s international relations have collapsed. With friends becoming foes, Imran Khan had opted for the easy way to ease the situation, that is through the bilateral peace talks something which proved as a last resort many times before.

Even though peace talks are the better solution in any diplomatic language, that is not the case while discussing India and Pakistan. First of all, the strain in India-Pak relationship is something which bilateral talks have failed to heal many times before, secondly such short term deals have little effects on healing the deep wounds inflicted upon J&K for past several decades. The Pak trained terrorist outfits in PoK has been an constant problem for the disturbance in Kashmir Valley, ever since the 1990s and have increased further post Kargil saga. No action against them was taken by Pak as ISI continue to use them shamelessly in fighting proxy war with India. The stone pelters, extremists and recent jihadi recruits from inside Valley shows how much have they brought terror to our backyards. With tension escalating, curfews and unrest among local population had further disturbed peace at Kashmir. Now here in this mix comes the role of Pak in perpetuating terrorism, something which they couldn’t stop at all, even after international pressures. They have vehemently denied any hands in any involvements and have resorted to lies even when India came forward with hard proofs. Also one can’t easily forget how safe Bin Laden was in Pakistan, and how Hafiz Saeed today is.

Now at this cross juncture arise the Pak’s call for a bilateral talk, something which is moreover a temporary solution unless Pakistan promises to withdraw policy of providing safe harber of terror outfits, handing over Hafiz Saeed and most importantly medling in Kashmir. Now these points are which drives Pakistan’s policy forward and is one sole reason, Pakistan is receiving wide financial support from across the world. Now without the interests of international players, Pakistan will starve ecnomically if they choose to take a path of peace with India. Not only did it affects Pakistan but also any leader that holds office in Pakistan. Furthermore the rising terror outfits inside Pakistan, had greater control over the governance, under the keen interest of army. Now at this situation lies Imran Khan’s government, hands very much tied behind their backs by army. It is therefore stupid enough to say, bilateral talks may succeed in resolving crisis in hand. The bilateral talk Pak seek is just a temporary cease fire, and not a permanent one.