It is quite common for administrations in Pakistan to share information about vital changes in government policies with foreign media while denying it to domestic reporters. Bloomberg has reported of a “secret India-Pakistan Peace Roadmap brokered by top UAE royals”. This explains a number of sudden developments like the message to India by COAS Bajwa to bury the past and move forward. Earlier, many eyebrows were raised when PM Imran Khan was allowed to fly to Sri Lanka over Indian Territory. The Bloomberg story predicts that Pakistan will send back its envoy to New Delhi who was recalled as protest after India revoked Article 370, illegally changing Kashmir’s disputed status. The paper also predicts a resumption of mutual trade through the Punjab land border. It is also being suggested that foreign ministers of Pakistan and India are likely to meet on the sidelines of the ‘Heart of Asia’ conference in Dushanbe later this month and if things go well with them the two countries would meet at the much delayed SAARC Conference later in Islamabad with the possibility of the two PMs having a tête-à-tête
During 2008-18 period both the PPP and PML-N governments tried to stabilise Pak-India relations that according to the COAS are the key to unlocking the potential of South and Central Asia. The two governments also tried to set the house in order by trying to restrain networks like LeT, JuD, JeM and LeJ from undertaking terrorist acts abroad. The PML-N claims that cases against its leadership were initiated and elections were stolen for suggesting to those who matter to help put ‘our house in order’ in 2016.
A security policy can succeed only if it is consistent. In case extremists threatening the state with violent protests if it doesn’t break diplomatic ties with France are mollycoddled, they can tomorrow call for breaking ties with China or India. What’s more, the policy needs widespread domestic support. It needs to be explained why the previous governments were discouraged from supporting the policy or their leaders persecuted for trying to implement it. The best way out is to confess that a blunder was committed in the past and work for national reconciliation.
For too long our foreign policy and security policy have been inconsistent and been dominated by mediocrity. Foreign policy must never be dictated on the whims of few, nor be dictated to achieve short term objectives of those at helm but with consistency based on collective long term national interests of the people of Pakistan with emphasis on achieving economic and territorial sovereignty.