The story which developed over the week was the meeting between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan. Daily Times reported on February 22: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he was personally optimistic about foreign secretary-level talks between Pakistan and India,but the outcome of talks entirely depends on the response from the Indian side. Dawn added: The Pakistani side would approach the talks positively and constructively to make the most out of the renewed engagement,a senior official said. However,the news item cautioned: Islamabad and New Delhi might have been nudged back to the negotiating table by an international community anxious to defuse tension in a conflict-prone region. But differences have widened,particularly in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai incident,to an extent that the gulf looks unbridgeable. Hence,the lowering of expectations in diplomatic circles about a breakthrough at the Delhi meeting is nothing but natural.
The American view on the talks favoured Pakistan as Dawn reported from Washington on February 23: As Pakistan goes to New Delhi for crucial talks with its larger neighbour theres a realisation in the US capital that India alone cannot bring stability to South Asia. The change in Washington s attitude happened slowly but by the time India signalled its willingness to resume talks with Pakistan,it had become obvious that the Americans had once again developed a new respect for Islamabad. Patting Pakistans back,it also stated: The change in US tone has not gone unnoticed in India. A report published on Monday quoted former Indian Foreign Secretary Salman Haider as saying that Pakistan is riding the luck of the devil. In fact,Afghanistan has helped Pakistan time and again to become relevant to the international community.
Replying to questions from the Senate Standing Committee on Defence Pakistan s army chief General Ashfaq Kayani was reported by Dawn on February 24 as saying: the army is prepared to give a befitting response to any misadventure from the eastern border and there is no possibility of the adversary catching Pakistan unawares… India s cold start doctrine based on hegemonic designs had not been taken.
The outcome of the talks were commented upon only by Dawn . Their editorial on February 26 held: The key from here forward is devising a workable framework for the two sides to resolve their disputes.
Swat turnaround
Apropos of the Swat military operation,the Pakistani army appears self-congratulatory. Daily Times quoted a senior officer on February 25: From US National Security Adviser James Jones to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen,no senior American military dignitarys visit to Pakistan is complete without a trip to the former Taliban stronghold of Swat… These visits help the Americans understand how the Taliban were defeated and how the same model will work in Afghanistan,…Swat has taken a 180-degree turn.
