ISLAMABAD: The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, has stated that there is no ongoing ‘back-channel diplomacy’ between Pakistan and India.
During a meeting of the upper house, the issue of relations between India and Pakistan was discussed in depth.
Senator of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Faisal Javed, stated that Pakistan committed that it would not engage in talks with India until it changes its behavior towards India’s Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He said that the PDM government is fostering trade ties with India, which raises the question of whether the Foreign Office has abandoned its previous stance.
In response, Minister of the State Hina Rabbani Kher replied, “Let me make it very clear since the PDM government came into power, there has been no back-channel diplomacy happening, unlike what occurred during previous governments.
She replied to senator Javed, “Oblivion is a great bless.”
Ms. Khar stated, “If backchannel diplomacy is result-oriented, then it should be pursued, but working inversely with one’s words does not yield positive results.”
She reminded that the agreement that Senator Faisal Javed is referring to was signed on February 21, 2021, when the Imran Khan-led PTI government was in power.
Ms. Khar added, “Pakistan has been paying the price for this type of politicization for four years. If there is an opportunity to trade with India on Pakistan’s conditions, we will take advantage of it.”
Ms. Khar also criticized the Indian Prime Minister and stated that when Pakistan meets with the international community, they ask why relations with India are not normalized.
She said, “But we have a neighboring country whose Prime Minister says they haven’t kept Atom Bomb for Dewali.”
She added that with this attitude, it is not possible to trade with India.
The development came after India invited Pakistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) meeting after 12 years.
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