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The Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi seems to be determined that the India Pakistan relations do not improve. His latest move in this direction was when he raised the Kashmir issue in the United Nations in an attempt to internationalize it. He fully knows that the matter has to be resolved bilaterally as per the spirit of the Simla agreement and talking about it at any international forum will only act as an impediment in working out cordial equations between the two countries.

Whether Qureshi does it deliberately or at the behest of the Pakistan Army is something, which the Foreign Ministry needs to figure out. But one thing is certain that going by his record of spoiling things in the past, the improvement in the India Pakistan relations can only happen once he is removed from his office and replaced with someone who is more reasonable, sticks to facts and honours the ground rules for negotiations.

I am not an expert on Pakistan or its internal matters but am experienced enough to realize that Pakistan’s deceptive tactics are going to create further mistrust between the two neighbours. Qureshi obviously lacks sincerity and his supporters try to give the excuse of domestic compulsions behind his erratic and at time unacceptable behaviour.

India I feel is needlessly soft on Pakistan and should convey in very strong terms to that country that if it means business than its leaders should observe the rules. Secondly, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India and if we have to talk we should first have negotiations on the portion of the state, which is under Pakistan occupation. The plight of people who are living there and the contrast between the two sides.

India on its part has to address the troubled situation in the strife torn border state by holding continuous dialogue with the various factions there. Pakistan can help by not funding some of the separatists and ensuring that infiltration from its borders is checked. The all-party delegation had recently been to the Valley and an attempt is being made to get normalcy back there. Statements from across the border of the kind made by Qureshi at the UN do not help matters.

Pakistan has a very poor track record of keeping its commitments. It may project itself as a victim of terror which is partly true but the Indian experience is that Pakistan is the perpetrator of terrorism so far our country goes. All this needs to stop. His party and his supporters should tell Qureshi that his conduct is the single factor, which is preventing the talks to move forward. In the best interests of the two countries, he must be replaced by a more reasonable person. I do not think that if he comes to India, there will be many who may welcome him despite an invitation from the Foreign Minister SM Krishna.