of Pakistan and India, he said there was no principle of preconditions before any talks anywhere in the world, adding that the two governments were a victim of public pressure created by media.
Sethi said after the Ufa announcement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sartaj Aziz had been accused of not talking about the Kashmir issue and that’s why the matter is being raised now. But the other side is saying that Sartaj should not meet the Kashmiri leaders and media would target them ferociously if they change the stance. Both sides are showing a childish attitude with which one cannot push the dialogue process forward.
Sartaj says they will hand over a dossier concerning Indian involvement in Pakistan to the India’s external affairs minister and the UN secretary-general in New York in September. Refusal to hold the NSA-level talks is a mistake by India.
About the Indian argument of the preamble and operative part of the Ufa statement, Sethi said both sides were right in their stance, with Pakistan saying that they would discuss all issues while India of the view that yes but not during the NSAs meeting. Pakistan was talking about composite dialogue but India negating it while imposing preconditions which was damaging to it, he added.
About the state terrorism in Occupied Kashmir, Sethi said the other side too could level the same allegation and, therefore, Pakistan should not do so as India would claim state terrorism in Balochistan. He said “terrorism is defined as non-state actors attacking the state” and the real problem was that the non-state actors on both sides carried out terrorism.
According to Sethi, Kashmiris too are Indians, if Kashmir is a part of India. In this case, they can’t be described as third party. So, if India accepts the Kashmiris as third party then it means it is a dispute and thus Kashmir not a part of India.
He said the prime minister, during his visit to Karachi, congratulated everyone including Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah who previously had problems with the Rangers. Not only the chief minister - the Apex Committee head - but also the Rangers and the prime minister were view that there was no need of a monitoring committee, he added.
According to Sethi, it was the PPP which in the past had objections over the Karachi operation but isn’t the case now; however, the MQM still has reservations for the reason that it is a political party and cannot remain silent. It would make a hue and cry when its members are arrested.
On the other hand, the prime minister does not want to take any step, giving an impression to the army that the PM is not fully on board and giving space to the MQM.