New Delhi: The divide in Islamabad on how to handle Narendra Modi as India's Prime Minister came into the open once again on Saturday when two key advisors of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke in two different voices: one claimed relations can never improve so long as Modi is PM, while the other felt that if anyone could break legacy in Indo-Pak hurdles it was PM Modi.
Sartaj Aziz, Sharif's advisor on foreign affairs, felt that there could be no breakthrough in relations between Pakistan and India so long as Modi is the PM. However, within hours his observations were contradicted by Mushahid Hussain Syed, Sharif’s Special Envoy on Kashmir.
Hussain who is on a tour to the US told reporters that "Modi was not from the Indian-Delhi establishment, where you have unsmiling crusty old men who are always sulking and who are stuck in old cold war mentality as he is an outsider."
Modi has the capacity to spring a surprise. One good thing about him is that he is flexible enough to do U-Turns. So I expect a good U-Turn probably in the coming months in our relations and we might see pleasant surprise in relations with South Asia, because Modi and Sharif have a good rapport and I think, Modi is preparing his people for this U turn," Syed said."I feel that there would be SAARC Summit in Islamabad. Modi will come there. And he would embrace Nawaz Sharif. I think Modi would realise that this is the way forward," Syed added.
Incidentally, Syed is on a US tour to submit to the White House a dossier on India's alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Aziz who also doubles up as Pakistan's foreign minister welcomed Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement that India’s border with Pakistan will be sealed by 2018. He said there was no harm in sealing the Pak-India border if public movement and trade were maintained.
Aziz, however, lashed out at India saying Islamabad had been resisting New Delhi's "hegemonistic" attitude in the region and wanted to have bilateral ties on an equal basis.
Syed, the Kashmir envoy of Pakistan PM, sounded more positive. He said Modi realizes the importance of having normal relationship with Pakistan "because he realises that two important core interest of India are linked with that. Number one relationship with Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict are the biggest impediment in the rise of India. India wants to rise, they want to be on the high table, Nuclear Suppliers Group, UN Security Council etc."
Syed said for all these India will have to have a better relationship with Pakistan.
Indo-Pak relationship has been on a downward spiral ever since the Uri attacks of September 18 when a terror suicide squad attacked an Indian Army brigade HQ in Kashmir after crossing over the Line of Control (LoC).
In return India managed to diplomatically isolate Pakistan by getting three other south Asian nations to boycott a Saarc summit slated to be held in Islamabad in November.
And on September 30, Indian Army staged retaliatory surgical strikes inside Pakistan destroying terror infrastructure across LoC inflicting "significant damages".
(With agency inputs)
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