Hina Rabbani Khar pessimistic about Pak-India ties

KARACHI: Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday said that despite considering herself as an optimist, she could not see any positive coming out of today’s foreign secretary level talks between Pakistan and India.

Speaking in Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, she said that bilateral ties between the two South Asian neighbours were at an all-time low.

“We can’t consider it [today’s talks] a big development as ties are at the lowest,” she said, adding there were no big events like Samjhota Express or Mumbai attacks to be blamed for the relations to get this worse.

Khar said the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not serious in resolving issues with Pakistan.

“Pakistan has political will to resolve issues. However, Indian side lacks it.”

“We need to create conducive environment for the resolution of outstanding issues which was not to be seen in the current scenario,” she added.

Khar said Wajpai was the last Indian premier who had the will to resolve these issues and wanted to build a legacy by improving bilateral ties with Pakistan.

“Modi, on the other hand, doesn't want to be named as the one who resolved Pak-India disputes. In fact he wants to be recognised as the one who antagonised the whole situation,” she said.

PM Modi's government has given into hate mongers and encouraged an environment of hostility, said the former minister, who believes today’s talks between the two countries were largely unhelpful to the dialogue process.