Islamabad, July 22: Pakistan today accused India of not responding positively to its efforts to restart the dialogue process and contended that it would go the “extra mile” if New Delhi takes steps in this regard.
A week after his talks with external affairs minister SM Krishna ended in sharp differences, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the two countries should not become “hostage to history” and should take “bold decisions” for ushering in peace in the region.
“It goes without saying that neither peace nor stability can be achieved in isolation. They need strong partnerships and willingness to build bridges and walk the talk on the high road to peace and equal security,” he said at a seminar here.
Qureshi, who was speaking on the topic ‘India’s Cold Start Military Doctrine’, said the subject of discussion was “ironic” as he had recently hosted Krishna for talks “as part of efforts to recommence the stalled dialogue in pursuit of our endeavours for durable peace in the region, albeit without a corresponding positive response.”
Pakistan, on its part, is prepared to go the “extra mile” if India takes steps to resume the peace process, he insisted.
Qureshi’s talks with Krishna here on July 15 ended on an acrimonious note with sharp differences coming out in the open at their joint press conference.
Pakistan wanted to discuss Kashmir issue but India was not ready as it insisted on visible action against terrorism, specifically in the Mumbai attacks case, before other topics could be talked about.
Qureshi said Pakistan wants to discuss all outstanding issues, including the “core issue” of Kashmir so that they can be resolved peacefully.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to the objective of peace and stability in South Asia,” he said.
Qureshi said Pakistan is pursuing a three-pronged approach with India to achieve durable peace and strategic stability in South Asia.
“This includes a peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir; strategic restraint and conventional balance; and close cooperation for the socio-economic development and welfare of our peoples,” he said.
Qureshi also said during the recent foreign minister-level talks, India had focussed only on its concerns related to terrorism and the 2008 Mumbai attacks even though Pakistan faces Mumbai-like incidents almost daily.
Describing the so-called “Cold Start doctrine” as “irrational”, Qureshi said he hoped India’s political leadership, civil society and intellectuals will discourage any move or doctrine that endangers peace in South Asia.
He said Pakistan is prepared to mount a “swift and effective” response to any attack on the country.
India and Pakistan need to avoid an arms race in the region and resolve outstanding issues so that they can focus on more pressing issues like tackling poverty and boosting socio-economic development, Qureshi said.
Qureshi also contended that India had not responded to several proposals made by Pakistan during 1974-1998 to keep South Asia free of nuclear weapons.
“As a consequence, we were forced to respond to Indian nuclear tests which were followed by highly provocative statements made by senior political leaders in May 1998,” he said.
Addressing the seminar organised by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute yesterday, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retired) Syed Athar Ali said the idea of fighting short intense battles under a nuclear overhang, as envisaged by the Cold Start doctrine, is dangerous as it “underestimates the nuclear reality of South Asia” and the “Pakistani resolve to deter any future war…through all means available to it”.
The “upward spiral” from sub-conventional war to “super critical” or nuclear warfare cannot be ruled out because “any future war in South Asia between India and Pakistan cannot remain indefinitely limited in either scope, time, space or results,” Ali said.
–PTI–