In a seemingly conciliatory statement prior to landing in New York for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said India and Pakistan should seek an early resolution to the Kashmir issue.
“Kashmir is a core issue which must be resolved. And in my view, the sooner the two countries start working on it, the better it would be for them,” he said while talking to Pakistani journalists in London.
Mr. Sharif’s comments indicating “bilateral dialogue” over Kashmir has prompted speculation in New Delhi’s policy circles about the possibility that Pakistan might have learnt its lessons from the latest failed attempt at a dialogue, and would try out talks without prompting the Hurriyat Conference to come along to the high table of diplomacy.
According to former Ambassador of India P. Stobdan, a senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Mr. Sharif's emphasis on bilateral talks despite the recent setback shows that he is ready for one more round of diplomacy and dialogue.
“Pakistan has little to lose by asking for a dialogue with India. Though dialogue evokes positive sentiment, it needs to be played cautiously. Hopefully, next time both sides will play it without shelling each other,” Mr. Stobdan said. He said Mr. Sharif’s comment suggested that Pakistan would try out dialogue, minus the Hurriyat. “India will have to weigh in how sincere will be the dialogue attempt from Islamabad this time.”
