ISLAMABAD: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif lost no time in raking up the Kashmir issue after being elected PM for the second time, as he called for a resolution in the National Assembly for the freedom of the Kashmiri people, clubbing them with the Palestinians.
While a congratulatory message from PM Narendra Modi to Shehbaz isn’t ruled out, India’s message to Islamabad remains that it should focus on creating an environment free of terror in the region, instead of meddling in India’s internal affairs.
“Let’s all come together…and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians,” said Shehbaz in his maiden address, even as he pledged to improve ties with neighbors.
Shehbaz’s remark may suggest Pakistan is unlikely to climb down from its maximalist position that India roll back the August 2019, decision to revoke the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K, despite the message of peace from his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, who is expected to hold the reins of the Shehbaz government. However, the Indian side also realizes Shehbaz is leading a shaky coalition and it’s important for him to keep all constituents happy. Shehbaz also didn’t bring up his party PML-N’s official position, as mentioned in its election manifesto, that normalization is possible only if India restores Article 370 which gave special status to J&K.
If not for the army, the Sharifs wouldn’t have made a comeback and unlike in 2015, the season of outreach that culminated in Modi’s maiden visit to Pakistan, the brothers can be expected to constantly look over their shoulders while formulating Pakistan’s India policy.
In any case, India’s own policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, which has meant no substantive bilateral engagement with Pakistan since 2015-2016, has served it well. Modi and Nawaz are known to have built a close rapport over the years but foreign minister S Jaishankar left nobody in doubt about what the government has on its mind when he ruled out on Saturday revival of SAARC anytime soon because of Pakistan’s backing of cross-border terrorism.
According to diplomatic sources, there’s a realization in Pakistan too that any forward movement is possible only after the imminent Indian elections. Bilateral ties remain downgraded as both countries operate with junior foreign service officials officiating as charge d’affaires, because of Pakistan’s decision to recall its high commissioner in 2019. “Pakistan began the process of downgrading ties and also called off trade. They have to decide what they want to do,” said a source.
On Pakistan’s position on Article 370, India does not see Pakistan as having any role to play in the internal affairs of J&K. As things stand now, early elections in J&K and restoration of statehood, as asked for by the Supreme Court and which Islamabad can hold India to, may offer the only hope of breaking the deadlock on the issue.
The article originally appeared on The Times of India.