“Right but small step on the road which is long and bumpy”: Former diplomat KP Fabian on India-Pakistan understanding

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): Former diplomat KP Fabian said that the people living in the areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) are happy with the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan as they can return to their everyday life. He called the understanding between India and Pakistan “a right step but a small step on the road", which he said was “long and bumpy."

In an interview with ANI, Fabian called for holding talks with Pakistan, during which Islamabad should give an assurance to New Delhi that it will not allow its soil to be used for terrorist activities, and it has to be followed up by verifiable consequential action.

On understanding between India and Pakistan on cessation of hostilities, KP Fabian said, “There is less jubilation in India, except that the common people jn the areas close to the LoC and the international border, they are very happy because they can go back to their normal life. But among some Experts and also among some of the ordinary citizens, there is a feeling that India need not have agreed to the ceasefire that Pakistan should have been punished even more and that Pakistan played up the risk of nuclear war card and Compelled America to intervene and therefore the ceasefire occurred."

“And as you know, subsequently, government voices have tried to water down the ceasefire. One voice said that it is not a ceasefire, it is a halt in operations and Generally speaking, I would say that thank God the ceasefire is holding. It didn’t hold for a couple of hours, but that I do not take it seriously because, normally a ceasefire is announced with a lot of time. For the orders to go down and for the military forces on the ground to take consequential action, for example, a ceasefire can be announced today at 10 o’clock morning, saying that it will come into effect at 5 pm, so there’s always a gap. That gap wasn’t there this time. Okay, so that probably explains those violations, though they don’t justify, but explains unless you look at the big picture. So since then, it is holding, thank God. Now, I take it, this is right step, but a small step on the road. The road is rather long and it is bumpy, it is not very smooth, so you cannot drive too fast and what is the ultimate aim according to me, Not necessarily, I’m not reflecting government’s point of view, or I may not even have support from many. My view is that tere should be talks with Pakistan, whether it is diplomatic or third channel, that’s a different matter," he added.

He said that Pakistan should dismantle terrorist infrastructure, training camps in Pakistan and send misguided youth to schools and colleges. He said that those who are elderly should be given employment, and those who directed terrorist activities should be detained.

Calling for India’s talks with Pakistan, he said, “It’s a question of the manner, but there should be talks with Pakistan because I hold the view that we won’t talk to you unless you abandon terrorism does not make much sense, because how do I know that you have abandoned terrorism? But, you are not even saying it. OK, let’s assume the best scenario. During those talks which I mentioned, Pakistan should give an assurance to India not to be. broadcast to the media but confidential diplomatic that Pakistan will not permit its soil to be used by anyone for terrorist activities against India first step. India should welcome that, but say that thank you. But this has to be followed up by verifiable consequential action. India should tell Pakistan. Well, what is a consequential action? All the terrorist infrastructure. training camps and much else should be dismantled. Those youngsters who are under training, misguided youngsters. some of them are rather young and should be sent back to schools or to college. Some of them are older, they should get proper employment and those who have been directing all this, they should be kept under detention."

“Now if this is done, And if it’s India is able to verify it, whatever means we can discuss later. If India is able to verify it, then India should respond by saying that thank you we are now prepared to stop our abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty. So, then there is a good basis for the two countries to talk. Now, somebody might say that India’s water treaty should be revised, that’s a different matter. You can negotiate another treaty with Pakistan about quantities, whatever it is, but walking out of it is not a good option for India. Why? Because India is a higher riparian state, upper riparian state in this case, and Pakistan is a lower riparian state, but vis a vis China, India is a lower riparian state. So, we should not give any chance for Pakistan to say later oh you as upper riparian state has denied the right of the lower riparian state, and we are doing the same thing. Why can’t we do the same thing? So in any case, as I said, it’s not good to walk out of a treaty, but keeping in abeyance made sense because Pakistan has to be given a message. It is not good that life-sustaining water flows into Pakistan and life-destroying terrorism flows back into India," he added.

While speaking to reporters on May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions–on land, at sea, and in the air–effective from 5 pm (IST).

“Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said.

“Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," he added.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed the lives of 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

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