Pakistan's invite to Kashmiri separatists is to placate domestic audience

Srinagar: The general view in India is that Islamabad has by inviting Kashmiri separatist leaders to the reception being hosted for its National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz at New Delhi’s ‘Pakistan House’ on August 23 crossed the ‘red line’ once again and that the move has threatened the very talks he is scheduled to hold with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval. Few know that Pakistan’s what appears to be ‘provocative’ or, at least, poorly thought-through decision is driven by domestic politics and with a view to placate local as well as Kashmiri audience.

The joint statement issued after Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mian  Nawaz Sharief met on July 10 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in the Russian city of Ufa was noticeable for its lack of an explicit mention of Kashmir which had irked many circles in Pakistan. Sharief was openly accused by the Opposition of betraying the Kashmir cause by deviating from Islamabad’s “known and principled stand” on the issue. Some of his political opponents insisted that friendship with India at the cost of Kashmir is a blatant disregard and disrespect to democracy.

Also, Kashmiri separatist leaders openly voiced their ‘disappointment’. Syed Ali Shah Geelani rejected the Ufa statement and said Pakistan’s stand appeared to be “wavering” and “inconsistent” in recent times. He even rejected Pakistan High Commission's Eid Milan invite in protest against dropping of K-word during Ufa talks. Some others quickly followed the suit.

The brewing anger at home and “disappointment” in the Kashmiri separatist camp forced Sartaj Aziz, who is also Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs to issue a statement that Islamabad stays firms on its principled stance on the issue of Kashmir “with dignity and honour” and that “no compromise” will be made on it. This was barely three days after the two countries had agreed to re-engage that he also asserted that talks cannot take place without Kashmir being on the agenda. This assurance was later given to Mr. Geelani and other separatist leaders through emissaries or their interactions with Pakistani authorities.

Five latest developments

1. Indian on Friday warned Pakistan against raising Kashmir or meeting with separatists. It emphasized that any meeting between the Kashmiri separatists and Mr. Aziz either before or after the talks is unacceptable.

2.  Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad to discuss the development. Mr. Aziz and Interior minister and army chief were also present.

3. Following the meeting, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry statement said, “India’s insistence to introduce conditionalities and restrict the agenda for the dialogue, demonstrates a lack of seriousness on India’s part to meaningfully engage with Pakistan.  For its part, Pakistan remains willing to attend the NSAs meeting without any pre-conditions.”

4. Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said  the  proposed meeting between Mr. Aziz and Kashmiri  separatists has been blown out of proportion.  “Whose idea was it to make such a big deal of the  Hurriyat-Pak chat. These were such non-events  before this Govt blew them out of proportion,” he  tweeted.

5. His father and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, however, urged separatist leaders not to meet Mr.  Aziz during his visit to India so that the two countries can find a way of ending hostilities along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir.