US Senators Tim Kaine and Angus King called on Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz here on Monday and discussed ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LoC) in what appears to be a US diplomatic effort to ease tensions between the two nuclear rivals.
Before visiting Pakistan, the two US Congressmen, Senator Kaine, a Democrat and member of the US Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, and independent Senator Angus King held meetings with Indian authorities, including defence officials in New Delhi and expressed concerns over the rising tension between Pakistan and India.
According to the Foreign Office, the US senators called on the Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed a number of issues, including Pakistan's relations with the US and the regional situation. The Adviser highlighted the steps taken by the government for the revival of economy and good governance. About the situation on the LoC and the Working Boundary, Aziz underscored the government's approach of seeking peace in the neighbourhood and expressed his concern at the current security situation along the LoC.
"The (US) senators appreciated Pakistan's efforts to curb terrorism and acknowledged the sacrifices made by Pakistan in this regard. They agreed that the root causes of terrorism must also be addressed for a longer-term solution of the problem," said the Foreign Office statement. Talking to Business Recorder, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said the visit of two US senators was a scheduled one and had nothing to do with the recent escalation of ceasefire violations along the LoC.
However, prior to departure from the US, Senator Kaine had met Pakistan's Ambassador to the Untied States Jalil Abbas Jilani in New York and discussed a range of issues, including tensions between Pakistan and India. While in New Delhi, Tim Kaine and Angus King told the media that they were concerned over the rising tension between India and Pakistan on the LoC and that the United Nations could play a "bigger role" in the conflict.
The escalation in skirmishes on the LoC and the Working Boundary is said to be the most serious one in a decade which forced around 20,000 civilians along the Pakistan-India border to flee their homes to escape the fighting. Foreign Office sources revealed that 17 villages on Pakistan's side of the border have been evacuated due to the fierce unprovoked mortar shelling by the Indian troops.
Reports suggest that 20 people have been killed due to the exchange of fire which escalated because of a more assertive Indian posture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has reportedly instructed the Indian Home Ministry "to ensure that Pakistan suffers deep and heavy losses". "Like every Indian leader, Prime Minister Modi simply wants Pakistan to accept India's hegemony in the region and withdraw its principled stance on the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir," said Asif Ezdi, former ambassador and foreign affairs analyst.
He said that it was now time for the Pakistani leadership to draw some lessons from the aggressive designs of the new Indian leadership and revisit its priorities by avoiding hasty decisions in its future ties with India. "Why are we going to trade with a hostile neighbour when we have other options...we are going to purchase electricity from India but we must keep in mind that India will simple switch the button off whenever there is tension on the border," he argued. The former ambassador urged the government not to come under Indian pressure and continue to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at international fora and strengthen its defence capacity to be able to talk with its hostile neighbours on the basis of equality.
Comments
Comments are closed.