Dr Singh bowed to Opposition pressure: Pak experts

Pakistani experts are disappointed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech in Parliament on the Indo-Pak joint statement, terming it as a response to the pressure exerted by Opposition parties.

They believe that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assertion that relations between India and Pakistan cannot be normalised till the latter cracks down on terrorism emanating from its soil went against the spirit of the joint statement issued in Sharm-el-Sheikh.

During his speech in Parliament, Dr Singh defended himself by saying that Pakistan did not give him any dossier on Balochistan during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Pakistani defence analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi told rediff.com, "The Indian prime minister retracted his agreement with Gilani due to the pressure from Bharatiya Janata Party and rival parties. His speech was merely for 'domestic consumption."

According to Hasan Askari, there was nothing new in Dr Singh's speech. "On the one hand, Dr Singh said there would be no dialogue until Pakistan acted against terrorists while on the other hand he said dialogue is better for the future of both countries; that if there were no dialogues there would be no peace."

"Supporting dialogue and at the same time making talks conditional to action against terror networks, Dr Singh is just playing with words," he added.

Responding to a question, Hasan Askari said: "De-linking action against terrorism from dialogue is not a big achievement for the Pakistani. It is just lip service. Suppose Indians go for talks without including the issue of action against terrorists by Pakistan and tomorrow some incident occurs inside India, they would immediately retreat from the dialogue process."

Askari does not seem hopeful about successful dialogue between the two countries and said: "Under present scenario, I don't think that meaningful dialogue between the two countries would take place in the near future."

Today, the issue over action against culprits of the Mumbai terror attacks has overcome all other longstanding issues like Kashmir, experts say, adding that New Delhi wants action not only against the five suspects arrested by the Pakistani government but also against Hafiz Saeed, the founder and chief of Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jamaat ud-Dawa.

However, Pakistan is not ready to take any action against him as, according to analysts, it could hinder the peace process.

Talking to rediff.com, another defence analyst Talat Masood said: "The composite dialogue between the two countries does not seem to revive due to their stance over the issue of action against terrorists. India wants the culprits, including Hafiz Saeed, punishment while Pakistan says it would not take any action against the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief until solid proof is provided against him. Under such circumstances, I don't see meaningful dialogue taking place."

Masood further said that the Sharm-al-Sheikh Joint Statement was a positive sign towards dialogue between the two countries, but the Indian prime minister was compelled to deviate from his statement.

"Dr Singh surrendered to establishment, as it does not want any dialogue with Pakistan. His speech clearly indicates his defeat before the BJP and other Opposition parties," he added. 

Masood added, "The cold war between the two countries would continue until the main disputes are not seriously considered by both sides."