Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, stated on Thursday that Pakistan and India have not engaged in backchannel diplomacy “untold to the rest of the world” since the incumbent government assumed power.
During a session of the Senate, she stated, “At this moment, there is no such thing underway.”
India’s High Commission in Islamabad sent an invitation to Pakistan’s Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s meeting of foreign ministers and chief justices, which is scheduled for May in Goa. Pakistan has not yet responded to the invitation, as reported by Indian media.
This past week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the leadership of the United Arab Emirates could play a significant role in bringing India and Pakistan to the table and called on his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to hold serious and sincere talks to resolve pressing issues, including Kashmir.
Read: US wants Pakistan, India to solve all issues through dialogue
However, a day later, the Prime Minister’s Office made it clear that talks with India can only take place if the country reverses its “illegal action of August 5, 2019,” which was intended to illegally alter the demography of India-occupied Kashmir, a Muslim state.
Khar stated today that backchannel diplomacy was only desirable when it was result-oriented during a session of the upper house of Parliament.
She said that Pakistan had always done things to make peace. However, India’s current cross-border hostility is one of a kind.
The minister stated, “The BBC documentary on Modi has shown the world why we have stood in this position.” She added that while some countries in the region have not learned from history, Pakistan has.
She went on to say that Pakistan was frequently asked to normalize its relations with India at international forums. We tell them to look at the messages we’ve received from India in response.
Khar went on to say, “The messages that we are getting are all conflagratory.” “Pakistan has the greatest interest in unleashing [the potential of] this region; however when you have a government on the other side whose prime minister says that their nuclear assets are not for Diwali,” then what can we do?”
Read: US ‘prevented’ South Asia nuclear war in 2019, claims Pompeo
Pakistan ‘reviewing’ India’s SCO invite
Separately, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch reiterated Khar’s statement earlier today in a weekly press briefing. Backchannel diplomacy does not exist between India and Pakistan.
She confirmed that Pakistan had received India’s SCO invitation to Bilawal in response to a question. Pakistan and India are both members of the SCO. In its capacity as chairman, India has invited us to the conference this year.
“The invitation is going through a review. Following discussion, a decision regarding participation in the meeting will be made,” Baloch told the media.
Read: India invites CJ, FM for SCO meetings
The FO spokespersons stated that there was “nothing new in it” when commenting on the BBC documentary on Modi, which includes revelations about a secret British investigation into the Gujarat riots and the Indian prime minister’s role in them.
Pakistan has always expressed its outrage at the killing of Muslims in Gujarat. She continued, “The BJP and Narendra Modi’s excesses have been exposed by the BBC.”