Unfazed by the remarks made by Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad on Monday, when he flagged Kashmir as the core issue for talks between India and Pakistan, New Delhi will “go strictly” by the official joint statement — issued after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Ufa.
Sources said, as a follow-up of the Ufa conference, India’s immediate priority is to fix meeting between the two National Security Advisors (NSAs), Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) and Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) with that of Rangers at the earliest to take forward Indian concerns on terrorism and firings at the Border. Meanwhile, India will also work on releasing the fishermen in custody of two sides — as agreed during the meet.
“India is focussed to keep working with Pakistan on two formats agreed — meetings between two NSAs and meetings between DG BSF/Rangers, DGMOs. We would like to do things faster,” said a source.
Aziz, who was party to the talks in Ufa, remained silent there but made sharp statements in Islamabad, saying that Kashmir remains core issue between India and Pakistan for talks to begin, asking India to give more evidence in Mumbai terror attack case, trial of which has been going on for the last six years in Pakistan even though India has concluded its judicial process and hanged the guilty.
India views Aziz’s remarks as a statement made for the domestic audience in which the Advisor to Pakistani PM did a “mix and match” of what was discussed between the two PMs and what was the known Pakistani position, to make it look like part of official talks.
“The fact that he is offering additional comments obviously speaks of a certain situation there,” said the source, adding that things do not come to a grinding halt with such statements. India does not see Aziz’s statement as a U-turn by Pakistan, as “they have not even taken the first turn.”
Describing the joint statement read out by two Foreign Secretaries in Ufa as a “considered, honest, accurate and reasonable summary of the substance” of the talks, sources said for India what Islamabad tells it at official level is important and not what its politicians say to the domestic audience.
For India, discussions in Ufa had three major outcomes: Starting talks at NSA and DGMO level to address concerns over terrorism and cross border violence; releasing fishermen from both sides on humanitarian grounds and starting religious tourism to increase people to people contact; and, taking Mumbai terror attack trials to a logical conclusion at the earliest in Pakistan. In fact, it was Sharif’s idea to promote religious tourism among the two countries which Modi whole-heartedly supported.
Playing down Aziz’s remarks, sources said the meeting in Ufa was about “how to talk to each other in a more productive way” and not to engage in pin-pricking. The joint statement, made on Modi’s suggestion, was like a summary of what was actually said and agreed upon at the meeting, which was prepared with great rapidity due to paucity of time.
Meanwhile, to address Islamabad’s queries on Rsadditional information’ on Mumbai attack trials, India would assist Pakistan in whatever more is needed. India has already given a complete dossier to Pakistan carrying scores of evidence. Yet, top Indian officials will interact with their counterparts in Islamabad to remove any road blocks in the trial.
Yet, it is learnt, that during talks with Sharif, Modi forcefully raised the issue of inordinate delay in Mumbai attack trial case and used the case of Zaki-ur Rehman lakhvi as a metaphor to express India wanted action against mastermind of 26/11 attack Hafiz Saeed. Sources said India’s position is that Pakistan has enough evidence to punish lakhvi and others for the 26/11 attacks.