Pak hopes Singh8217;s 8216;expediencies8217; won8217;t affect normalisation

Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he hoped that Manmohan Singh's political 'expediencies' would not prevent normalisation of bilateral ties.

Fresh from talks with his Indian counterpart during which New Delhi agreed not to link resumption of dialogue to Pakistan8217;s action against terrorism,Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he hoped that Manmohan Singh8217;s political 8220;expediencies8221; would not prevent normalisation of bilateral ties. 8220;Dr Singh has still to sell the idea of engagement with Pakistan back home,for which he needs time,and he is primarily trying to pacify those opposed to normalisation of ties between the two countries,8221; Gilani told 8216;Dawn8217; newspaper on the return flight from Egypt,where he met Singh on the sidelines of the NAM summit on Thursday.

Gilani said he hoped Singh8217;s political 8220;expediencies8221; would not prevent normalisation of bilateral relations. 8220;There may be expediencies,but we need to look ahead,8221; he said. The Pakistani media has made much of India8217;s apparent climbdown on the issue of holding peace talks with Pakistan,but Gilani appeared not surprised by his Indian counterpart8217;s move during their recent meeting.

Gilani 8220;appeared unfazed8221; by Singh agreeing to Pakistan8217;s contention of not linking Islamabad8217;s action against terrorism,especially against perpetrators of Mumbai attacks,to the revival of the dialogue,Dawn reported today. After the meeting,the Pakistani media had referred to the development as a 8220;major retreat8221; and 8220;climbdown8221; by India.

Gilani said there was no way forward other than dialogue an issue both prime ministers had agreed on in their talks. In his first press conference here after meeting Singh in Egypt,the Pakistan Prime Minister last night blamed India for 8220;interference8221; in Balochistan and 8220;other areas8221; and said the Indo-Pak Joint Statement reflected Pakistan8217;s concerns over this.

He,however,showered praise on Singh for agreeing to restart dialogue,saying the Indian leader had shown 8220;political sagacity8221; and 8220;statesmanship8221; in realising that talks were the only way forward. Pakistani political leaders and former military officials have described the outcome of the Egypt meeting as positive and Gilani has received much praise for this. Observers said that this meeting was more successful than Singh8217;s talks with President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia last month,during which the soft-spoken Premier surprised the Pakistani leader by telling him in the media8217;s presence that his 8220;limited mandate8221; was to say that Pakistani soil should not be used for terrorism.

Opposition PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain Sayed said Pakistan had highlighted its stance in the Egypt meeting,particularly its concerns about alleged Indian involvement in fomenting unrest in Balochistan. Sayed also lauded Gilani for taking all political leaders into confidence before his meeting with Singh. Former ISI chief Lt Gen Hamid Gul too said the joint statement was a 8220;success8221; for Pakistan and that India would 8220;now have to bow to US pressure8221; in the context of its ties with Islamabad.

A commander of the United Jehad Council,a conglomerate of militant groups active in Jammu and Kashmir,said the organisation had 8220;serious reservations8221; about the joint statement issued after the Thursday meeting between Gilani and Singh. However,some sections of the Pakistani media have claimed that Singh has 8220;gone back8221; on the joint statement as he has told the Indian Parliament and media that peace talks with Pakistan will remain on hold till action is taken against perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.