Dulat urges govt to talk with Kashmiris, Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former chief of Indian terror sponsoring spying outfit W A S Dulat has asked the Indian government to have talks with Kashmiris and also with Pakistan as the way forward. Dulat who earned media hype for his co-authoring a book with former ISI Chief General Asad Durrani, has maintained that the Pulwama attack was a gift to the BJP ahead of the elections and it was 'alright' to carry out in Pakistan.

"I think it was gift from the Jaish to the BJP or to Modiji because of elections. It was inevitable that something would happen. Something would be done. So, the strike deep inside Pakistan was alright," he told reporters on Saturday in Hyderabad (India).

According to media reports he was asked how he assessed the present government's handling of the Pulwama attack and about the way ahead, former RAW chief said nationalism is alright if it is looked at broadly but it may not be good if it is seen narrowly. "The larger point I am making is that what is sufficient is patriotism. We need not stress on nationalism. Because, the indications worldwide are that nationalism can lead to war," he said.

Dulat, who was speaking on the sidelines of the annual Asian Arab Awards 2019 organised in Hyderabad by the Indian Economic Trade Organisation, was asked about his comments that nationalism is unbalancing the world. Dulat quoted a former president of France as saying that "we should shed our prejudices. Otherwise, it leads to nationalism and nationalism means war."

Another foreign leader had said, "Nationalism is wrecking my patriotism." "The point I am trying to make is that if you look at nationalism broadly, it is alright. If you start looking at it narrowly, then it starts affecting people," he said. In his speech earlier, Dulat stressed the need for promoting peace. He praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her, "they are us" comments in the aftermath of attacks at mosques in that country. He favoured talks with Kashmiris and also with Pakistan as the way forward. "We need to talk. We need to talk to the Kashmiris. We need to talk ultimately to Pakistan also. There is no other way," Dulat said. He was asked about the way forward for Indian government to deal with such kind of issues (terror and others). Asked why no solution (Kashmir issue) has been reached even after 60 years and the way ahead, he recalled former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as having said his government was a "signature away" from reaching an agreement. "If you recall, Manmohan Singh while demitting office said that they were only a signature away from reaching an agreement.