National Assembly body advises government not to encourage active support for armed struggle in Kashmir: guidelines on constructive engagement with India accorded approval

Giving approval to guidelines on constructive engagement with India for resolution of all outstanding issues including Kashmir dispute, a parliamentary panel on Monday recommended that Pakistan should not encourage calls for active support for armed, banned, militant groups in Kashmir. The "Policy Recommendations on Pak-India Relations" were adopted in a meeting of National Assembly's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, which was chaired by its chairman Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari.
The recommendations were adopted following thorough discussion within the committee and input from intellectual and experts. The proposal that Pakistan should not encourage calls for active support of armed, banned, militant groups in Kashmir comes at a time when Pakistan is investigating a terror attack on India's Pathankot airbase, which India blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammad.
On Kashmir, the panel recommended that Pakistan should continue to call for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute as the core issue between the two countries. Continuity of the proactive diplomacy on Kashmir on all international fora should be pursued, it added.
A key component of Pakistan's proactive involvement on the Kashmir issue should be lending solid moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris' struggle for self-determination according to the UN Resolutions, it added. The committee called for policy actions like institutionalisation of the 2003 Cease-fire Agreement, adding that Pakistan should not encourage calls for active support of armed, banned, militant groups in Kashmir.
Furthermore, it recommended policy actions such as allaying international concerns of not doing enough to tackle Alpha Elements working for the Kashmiri Cause, by monitoring and taking action against violent armed groups, lending support to tri-lateral peace process involving Kashmiri leaders, Pakistan and India, strict border control mechanisms- automation, expansion of democratic space by tapping into civil society voices in Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as Indian Occupied Kashmir and seeking reduction in state-sponsored violence against Kashmiris in IOK.
The committee also urged that water issues should be discussed holistically, rather than focusing on particular projects such as Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Project. Dr Mohammad Faisal, Director General South Asia Division, Foreign Office told the committee that Pakistan was not rethinking on Indus Water Treaty with India and the two sides often discuss implementation of the treaty.
The 1960's water-distribution mechanism - Indus Water Treaty - brokered by World Bank, allows India's control over three eastern rivers including Beas, Ravi and Sutlej, while Pakistan was given control over three western rivers namely the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. Despite the treaty, the two countries often accuse each other of violations and the committee recommended that the water issues should also be included in the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue with India.
It suggested that Pakistan should engage in comprehensive Water Diplomacy with India and Pakistan should actively highlight the violation of Indus Water Treaty by India on international forums by drawing attention towards the humanitarian aspects and how these violations are adversely affecting Pakistan's water resources and environment. The panel recommended that Pakistan should lobby with foreign countries that have environmental protection as their mandate. It stated that the forums like COP21 [Conference of the Parties] can be ideal for this purpose and should be optimally utilised, unlike in the past.
An independent office of Indus Water Commission (IWC) should be established with neutral experts from outside the South-Asian region who work directly under the supervision of the UN, the panel recommended. It further called for a permanent liaison between Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to promote informed decision making on water related issues with India.
While enhancing the capacity of the Indus Water Commission, Pakistan should resume bilateral dialogue, regular meetings and talks between the Indus Water Commissioners to ensure regular data sharing and minimising water-related conflict between the two countries.
The committee also noted that there was a need to resume secretary level dialogue between India and Pakistan on the area of water diplomacy. In order to track availability of data and information relating to water flows, the panel suggested that Pakistan and India need to establish a joint Sophisticated Forecasting System, which will allow for real time data sharing regarding the flow of water in the rivers and tributaries of the Indus Water System. Real time data of minor, major tributaries and all head-works, etc will be shared through the use of a website and moreover, the website must also include three dimensional models of dams, it added.
Towards engagement with India on all outstanding issues, the committee recommended two main policy approaches. ie (i) Selective Engagement and (ii) Restrainment. Under the 'Selective Engagement', the committee agreed that Pakistan's approach towards India should be based on the following key principles: Reciprocity from India that may be simultaneous or sequential, reduction of trust deficit between the two countries through collaborative efforts and resumption of dialogue. It emphasised on result-oriented dialogue that must focus on resolution of conflict which will be the end result of the above three principles of engagement.
It further recommended that Pakistan should continue to seek comprehensive engagement with India on all outstanding issues. However, in the absence of this scenario, the committee recommended the government of Pakistan to selectively engage with India in four key areas.
It noted that Selective Engagement will not only help resolve issues that are critical to Pakistan's long term sustainability as a nation but will do so by appealing to the needs of both countries and on a relatively equal footing. On trade with India, the committee recommended that Pakistan should focus more on reducing and controlling the informal trade, which can be done through enhancing the capacity of Customs Department and border forces. Furthermore, by relaxing the process to acquire visa, informal trade can be controlled and Pakistan should make a comprehensive trade policy which benefits its domestic market and local industries, the committee recommended.
It emphasized that the policy should focus on developing our infant industries so that they can compete with well-established industries of India. Pakistan should capture the space available in the Information Technology sector within the Indian market. Moreover, there is a need to expand legal trade between the two countries while discouraging informal trade. For this purpose, there is a need for testing facilities near the borders and Pakistan should call for dismantling of non-tariff barriers in India, in order to create a level playing field for Pakistani products, it further recommended.
On culture and communication, the committee recommended that the renewal of Cultural Agreement of 1988 should call for cooperation in the fields of arts, culture, archeology, education, mass media and sports. It also called for initiation of cultural and educational exchange, which will allow exchange of students and will also work for betterment in relations through cross culture of ideas.
In the second approach of 'Restrainment", the committee stated that this option refers to Pakistan adopting a defensive policy towards India. The pause reflects a discontinuation of proactive policy measures on the part of Pakistan, towards India. While adopting this option, the panel stated that Pakistan should not enter into long-term agreements with India. Simultaneously, Pakistan should continue making efforts to increase its political clout in the international arena and in its region, in reference but in absence of India's cooperation.
The committee also identified certain areas where Pakistan can make proactive efforts to increase its international influence ie development of bilateral ties with SAARC countries and other regional states such as Iran over energy needs and strengthening the relationship with China to tackle Indian expansionism, focusing on untapped opportunities that exist in Central Asia like Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India gas pipeline, vigorously pursuing IP Gas Pipeline ( Post P5+1 Nuclear Deal) and ensuring smooth implementation of the CPEC projects.
In order to sustain progress in the fields of peace and security, the committee stated that both countries should pursue the implementation of the Lahore Memorandum of Understanding and all Confidence Building Measures relating to security. The meeting was attended by Daniyal Aziz, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sherazi, Mohammad Khan Daha, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Dr Shireen Mazari, Ghous Bux Khan Maher, Naeema Kishwar Khan, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and senior officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and group of students from NUST University.