Aware of the misgivings many in India have over talks with Pakistan after 26/11, prime minister Manmohan Singh took care to send the right signals after meeting Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari. At a news conference on the flight back from Yekaterinburg on Wednesday, Singh said peace talks with Pakistan will resume only when India is satisfied with the action taken against the outfits responsible for attacks on India.
“The purpose of this meeting (between foreign secretaries) is to find what Pakistan has done and what it plans to do on terrorist activities against India,” Singh told reporters.
But is Zardari in a position to deliver? The fact remains that unless the army agrees to crack down on the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the civilian government is helpless.
“The meeting with Zardari is obviously under US pressure. But I don’t see any reason why India is diluting its stand. Pakistan has delivered nothing so far. Also what power does Zardari wield? He can promise the moon, but can he deliver?” asked analyst KC Singh, a former foreign service officer.
But Indian officials said the prime minister has no option than to talk to Zardari, as he cannot directly speak to the army chief.
Though no one is saying so publicly, India is banking on Washington to exert pressure on Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani to crack down on anti-India terror groups. But analyst Bhadrakumar believes, “US pressure is not enough for the Pakistan army’s mindset to change. It will take a long long time for that.”
He, however, says it is good for India and Pakistan to remain engaged. “So long as we keep talking, it will induce the army to, at least, whittle down its support to terror groups.” But wasn’t Pakistan’s foreign minister visiting India when the Mumbai attacks took place?
The Indian leadership is well aware of Zardari’s problems. In fact, Zardari explained to Singh that “while I am absolutely sincere in controlling terrorism from whatever source it emanates and at whichever target it is directed, you must bear with me.”
The prime minister told him, “We have a strong feeling that the elements who perpetrated terror attacks against India are not being brought to book.” Strategic analyst K.Subrahmanaym agrees the ice had to be broken. “I think it is a good move. The prime minister has put Pakistan on the mat by choosing his words carefully and saying his mandate is to put across to Zardari that Pakistani territory should not be used for attacks on India."
