Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said on Thursday Pakistan would raise the issue of Kashmir as well as the India’s interference in the country at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.Speaking in the Senate, Aziz said Pakistan had prepared a formal dossier regarding Indian interference in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.India resorted to violations on the Line of Control (LoC), despite a recent meeting between DG Rangers and Border Security Force chief, he added. The adviser on foreign affairs once again reiterated that whenever dialogue with India resumes, the two countries will discuss all issues including Kashmir.“There can be talks on all issues but no issue would be discussed in isolation on India’s demand.”This year’s UN General Assembly session is scheduled to begin from today. The gung-ho approach of the PM and his National Security Adviser about taking the fight to the Indians and airing Pakistan’s grievances on a global stage carry within it a huge potential to backfire. Pakistan’s stance of victimhood over being infiltrated by proxies of another country leaves it open to a barrage of criticism and accusations of hypocrisy, since this stance tries to ignore Pakistan’s own track record of sponsoring militancy and setting up proxies for intervention in its neighbourhood. Similarly, on the issue of terrorism, Pakistan has a less than exemplary record of exporting hateful ideologues and militants. It is therefore feared that the address may turn out to be counterproductive and even if that is not the outcome, Pakistan may fail to convince the world of its case. While it is commendable that the PM is making the effort to improve Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with other countries and reasserting its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, it is perhaps advisable to not meet Narendra Modi after all. The last time the two met hurriedly and with poor preparation was in Ufa, and the consequences of that meeting were an ambiguous joint statement whose contested interpretation resulted in the relationship-dampening abandoned NSA-level talks. Pakistan-India relations are a complex problem that requires proper planning, so talks between the states should be allowed to grow incrementally and organically.
pk.shafaqna.com
