A nudge for India, a pat for Pakistan

India would be looking for firm guarantees from Clinton about Pakistan's conduct on issues of terror
Sanjay Kapoor Delhi Hardnews

The timing of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's visit to New Delhi could not have been better. Aggressively supporting the joint statement of India and Pakistan emanating out of the bilateral meeting that took place on the sidelines of the NAM summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Clinton insisted that India should help in stabilising a terror-ravaged Pakistan.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who seemed to be in dithers after endorsing a path-breaking joint statement that de-linked the composite dialogue between the two countries with action on terror, must have heaved a sigh of relief over the robust manner Clinton defended it. Singh had seemingly reneged on the statement after a few hours when he qualified the earlier position by saying that the composite dialogue would depend on the conduct of Pakistan on accounting for the perpetrators of Mumbai atrocities on November 26, 2008. Clinton gave a certificate to the Pakistani government for its fight against terrorists in the last six months. Prime Minister Singh also endorsed this view in Sharm El-Sheikh.

What was really remarkable about the views expressed by Clinton, Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani was that they used practically the same words to describe the happenings in Pakistan and India. It was clear that all three were on the same page when it came to kickstarting the talks as well as sharing intelligence between the two neighbours. Quite clearly, the US had nudged both the countries to create structures for dissolving mistrust and work together to fight a common threat - Islamic militancy.

The Indian government had been complaining of schizophrenia against Pakistan claiming that it is fighting one kind of terror that is located at the Af-Pak border and supporting and sustaining terror infrastructure directed against India. The US government has been giving guarantees about Pakistan's new resolve. President Asif Ali Zardari's emergence out of a state of denial and acknowledging its country's involvement in terror activities is shown as an evidence of the changed mindset.

Clinton, who is not visiting Pakistan during this trip, has given substance to New Delhi's demand for de-coupling India and Pakistan. Hardnews was told by Pakistani diplomats that they were pretty peeved by this delinking and wanted Hillary Clinton and the US to be even-handed where their interests were concerned. Clinton's spirited defence of Pakistan would not disappoint the hawks in Islamabad. She has said Pakistanis were fighting terror and that India would have to live with the US supplying aid to its neighbour.

There is a fear in New Delhi that engagement with Pakistan would allow a tottering regime to ratchet up the Kashmir issue to win support in their country and tame the rampaging Islamic jehadis. The mention of taking up all outstanding issues has been understood by the Pakistanis as including the contentious issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian leadership would be looking for firm guarantees from Clinton about Pakistan's conduct on issues of terror.