Pak army chief wants stable India ties to unlock South, Central Asia potential

A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan extended the olive branch to India, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said it was high time the two neighbours forgot the past and moved forward.

Speaking at the Islamabad Security Dialogue on Thursday (March 18), Bajwa emphasized on stability in relations between India and Pakistan to establish connectivity between East and West Asia – a necessity for unraveling the true trade potential of South and Central Asia.

“The Kashmir issue is obviously at the heart of disputes. It is important to understand that without the resolution of Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, [the] process of sub-continental rapprochement will always remain susceptible to derailment due to politically motivated bellicosity,” Bajwa said.

In February, India had expressed the desire to normalize ties with Pakistan on the condition that the “environment is free of terror, hostility and violence”.

On Wednesday (March 17), Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that Pakistan was trying to bring in peace in the region, but asked India to take the first step. He showed India the positive economic picture which will come with a direct route to the Central Asian region, which is rich in oil and gas.

Also read: Bengal will become Kashmir if Mamata returns: Suvendu Adhikari

General Bajwa compared the tension in South-East Asia to Cold War era and suggested early resolution to pending issues, which are pulling the region into poverty and underdevelopment. “It is sad to know that even today it [South Asia] is amongst the least integrated regions of the world in terms of trade, infrastructure, water and energy cooperation,” he said.

The Pakistani government didn’t list out its expectations from India, but analysts say the neighbouring country would come to talks if India takes some positive steps in Kashmir.

Also read: Ethnic fashion: Kashmir’s young make way amid political uncertainties

Relationship between the sparring neighbours hit a new low after a terror attack at Pathankot Air Force base in 2016. Another attack, at an Indian Army camp in Uri in 2019, further spoiled the ties. India retaliated by launching a blitzkrieg on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps deep in Pakistani territory in February, 2019, in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were massacred.