FROM CONFLICT TO DIPLOMATIC BLITZ
Aside from last month’s clash, which saw India strike Pakistani targets but also admit to losing an unspecified number of fighter jets during its “Operation Sindoor”, the nations have fought four major wars since their independence in 1947.
In the wake of the recent hostilities, both sides have moved from weapons to words, with India dispatching several delegations to visit more than 30 capitals in Asia and around the world. A similar effort by Pakistan is set to start on Jun 2.
CNA spoke to a member of the multi-party Indian delegation that visited East and Southeast Asia during a stop in Singapore on May 27. Congress party leader and former Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid agreed with the views that the effort is unprecedented.
“It is an innovation, in a sense. And the fact that there are multi-party delegations, seven of them across the world, to all members of the (UN) Security Council and prospective members of the Security Council. In that sense, it is unprecedented, and we’ve got enormous support,” he said.
“You might even put it as something that has started, something that will at least ensure that our narrative is carried right through.”
And that narrative is firmly focused on India’s accusations that Pakistan isn’t doing nearly enough to snuff out terrorism.
“The fact remains that talking to them (Pakistan) hasn’t worked. Therefore, we are not talking to them now. We’ve said clearly, put an end to terrorism and then everything can follow. As long as you don’t put an end to terrorism, no talks, nothing, no communications, no trade. That’s the bottom line that we’ve drawn for them.”
But Pakistan’s General Sahir Shamshad Mirza told CNA in a wide-ranging interview that Pakistan is in fact taking on terrorism on its soil and working to tackle cross-border terrorism from groups based in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
“Why would Pakistan know or be involved in this (Kashmir) incident, when Pakistan’s number one is consolidating its fight against terrorism,” he asked on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
“We are on an upward path in our economy.”
Mr Mirza said terrorism has cost his country hundreds of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives. He alleged India lashed out, “without any investigation, without any initial inquiry, internal inquiry, without any shred of evidence”.
