The Hindu : We are for restraint: Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 19, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

We are for restraint: Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD May 18. Pakistan today struck a non-combatant and conciliatory response to the decision of the Indian government asking its High Commissioner in New Delhi, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, to leave his post `for the sake of parity'.

While registering its disappointment over the announcement made by the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, a spokesman of the Pakistan Foreign Office, in a statement, said Islamabad would continue to ``work for the de-escalation of tensions'' with India. He said the country would continue to strive for ``complete normalisation of diplomatic relations''. The spokesman said that in response to the action announced by New Delhi, the Pakistan Government has decided to `recall' the High Commissioner.

Talking to correspondents the Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, claimed that `restraint and conciliation' characterised the approach of Islamabad since the December 13 Parliament attack.

He maintained that after New Delhi decided to recall the then High Commissioner to Pakistan, Vijay K. Nambiar, Pakistan chose not to reciprocate. ``Pakistan believes in the process of dialogue and political process for resolution of all differences. We did not recall Ashraf Jahangir Qazi as Pakistan thought diplomatic representation at the highest level was needed for reconciliation of differences''.

Mr. Khan regretted ``the anti-Pakistan tone of the resolution'' adopted by the Indian Parliament on the incident near Jammu. He said the statements by Indian leaders during the debate and the contents of the resolution ``betrayed the hostility, which India nurses for Pakistan''.

He said Pakistan was opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Pakistan neither encouraged terrorism nor had anything to do with the Jammu incident, he claimed. As a member of the international coalition against global terrorism, Pakistan was faithfully fulfilling its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and would continue to do so, he said. He called upon India to avoid levelling `baseless allegations' against Pakistan.

Observers here are of the view that the departure of Mr. Qazi from New Delhi marks a new low in Indo-Pakistan relations.

The former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Tanvir Ahmed Khan, told The Hindu that ``I feel greatly saddened by the latest development. The action of the Indian government is unprecedented. Such a thing did not happen even during the 1971 conflict''. He said it was bold on the part of Mr. Qazi to have stayed on in New Delhi despite the decision of India to recall its High Commissioner in December. Mr. Khan was of the view that Mr. Qazi had made a notable contribution towards improvement in Indo-Pak ties.

The Pakistan reaction is clearly aimed at impressing the international community on its `reasonable approach' compared to the `rigid attitude' of the Vajpayee establishment. Of course it could also be interpreted as a result of pressure from the world community, particularly the U.S., not to do any thing that could only precipitate things. The pressure on the Musharraf regime from the international community is evident in the latest statement by Europe's External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten, who is expected here next week to impress upon the Pakistan President for urgent steps to translate his January 12 speech into action.

``I will have great difficulty persuading the European Parliament to continue support to Pakistan as we would like, if it looks as though the Government is moving away from what it said about democracy or the promises it made on dealing with terrorism'', Mr. Patten has been quoted as saying in an interview to the Pakistan English daily, Dawn.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Pak. asked to recall envoy within a week

We are for restraint: Pak.

I'm sorry to leave: Qazi

A welcome move: Cong.

PM invites Sonia for consultations

European Parliament condemns Gujarat violence

Reliance bags IPCL

STD facility restored

Narrow escape