Imran Khan should know what ‘Pakistan first’ means

Arun Joshi

It is a tough way ahead for India and Pakistan to repair their relations, though the words spoken by the leaders of the two sides after the recent elections in Pakistan are encouraging. This expression of seeking bonhomie should open a new window of opportunity for them.

The two countries had hit the lowest point in their relations in November 2008. The spine-chilling terror that the  Lashkar-e-Toiba unleashed in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, continues to haunt India.

It is not easy to forget and forgive, particularly when Pakistan has been playing a hide and seek game in bringing the culprits to justice. The mastermind of the 26/11, Hafiz Saeed, is roaming free. Pakistan’s attitude in protecting such lethal elements has prevented repair in the relationship with India.

There can be no real reconciliation between the two countries until Pakistan prosecutes those responsible for the Mumbai attack, and now there are more men who appear on the list to be prosecuted for terror atrocities in India.  

The terror attack at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab, in the opening days of 2016, and the September 2016 massacre of the armed personnel in Uri in Kashmir have served as deadly interruptions in improving the ties. Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Imran Khan has a very delicate task ahead when it comes to fostering better ties with India. It’s delicate because he doesn’t have the freedom to operate on his own. For his foreign policy, he would have to abide by the GHQ, Rawalpindi — the army headquarters in Pakistan.

Indian politician and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s image of hugging Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on the occasion of Imran’s swearing-in ceremony as the 22nd Prime Minister on August 18   can be seen as two Punjabis greeting each other in the manner typical to Punjab on both sides of the border.

But on the same day, General Bajwa’s army pushed infiltrators into this side of the Line of Control that divides Jammu and Kashmir in the Tangdhar sector of Kashmir. This is just a glimpse of what Pakistani army does and cherishes.

The friendly gestures of India were responded with hostile actions in the past too. The Pakistan army did it with Atal Bihari Vajpayee when his bus journey to Lahore was rewarded with the Kargil war in 1999. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore  on December 25, 2015, was responded by a terror attack at  the Pathankot airbase within a week.

Political leaders in Pakistan are constrained and may not be able to deliver  on their promise  for peace in the region. Imran has to break this jinx. But can he?  It is for him to decide, but Imran has to invent a moment that the whole of India can cheer at some stage.

The virtues of peace with India are far more important for Pakistan  than ever before  because Islamabad can find a real friend in India at the time when it  may soon have to approach the International Monetary Fund  to bail it out of economic distress. And it is yet to get a  clean chit  from Financial Action Task Force that is worried about the terror funding in Pakistan.

These are really difficult times for Pakistan, and  one of the clearest ways to address its problems is to build friendly ties  with India without conditions. What should matter to  Imran, as  Gen Pervez Musharraf  had said on September 19, 2001, “Pakistan first.” Hopefully, Imran knows what it means.