Tag Archives: Pakistan India relations

: Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of Pakistan suggests that Islamabad appoint a special envoy to India in attempt to engage both countries in back channel diplomacy, and hopefully more progressive, warming relations. Riaz Mohammad KHan is considered for the position of special envoy and Foreign Minister Qureshi insists that such attempts should work in tandem with front ends of diplomacy as well. Perhaps in the initial stages, US Special Envoy Holbrooke or another envoy might mediate such talks that can lead to a warming of relations in the Subcontinent.

Pakistan has a deep interest in seeing stable, peaceful democratic processes in Afghan elections this week. Islamabad’s insistence on allocating resources to uprooting domestic factions and maintaing troops along the Indian border rather than focusing directly on fighting terror in Afghanistan do not mean they are uncommitted to stability in Afghanistan. Rather, Pakistan is better equipped and rightfully focused on fighting domestic turmoil and given current Indo-Pak relations, must keep forces on the Indian border. Also, Pakistan has a profound interest in seeing their large refugee population repatriate to Afghanistan, which can only happen if elections are successful and lead to a more stable, democratic Afghanistan.