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Updated March 22nd, 2021 at 21:20 IST

Owaisi decries alleged UAE role in mending India-Pak ties, doubts 'strategic independence'

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday disapproved of UAE's alleged role in mending ties between India and Pakistan resulting in the ceasefire announcement.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Asaduddin Owaisi
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AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday disapproved of UAE's alleged role in mending ties between India and Pakistan resulting in the ceasefire announcement. He was referring to a Bloomberg report which claimed that the ceasefire to secret talks brokered by the UAE which began months earlier. Moreover, it added that the next step in the process will be the reinstatement of the respective envoys in New Delhi and Islamabad followed by the resumption of trade and resolution of the Kashmir issue. However, it is pertinent to note that the Ministry of External Affairs has not acknowledged the veracity of this news report.

Claiming that the Centre's Pakistan policy has "no credibility", Owaisi listed the purported inconsistencies and u-turns taken by India. For instance, he recalled that PM Modi had visited Lahore to attend a wedding and allowing the ISI to probe the Pathankot Air Base terror attack. Moreover, he lamented that even the Parliament hadn't been taken into confidence about the rationale for the "sudden" bonhomie between the two countries. The Hyderabad MP opined that India should not be dictated by other countries in making foreign policy choices. 

Thaw in bilateral ties

In a departure from his vicious personal attacks on BJP and PM Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan called for resolving differences with India via dialogue. This was during his maiden visit to Sri Lanka where he addressed the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Conference on February 24. Claiming that he had unsuccessfully attempted to diffuse tensions in the bilateral relationship after assuming power in 2018, he stressed the need to improve trading ties with India. In a joint statement issued a day later, the Director Generals of Military Operations of both countries agreed to strictly observe all agreements and stop firing from February 25. 

However, the Indian Army affirmed that it remains vigilant in the wake of relentless ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the past. This will also not impact counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Softening the brash tone further, Imran Khan told participants at the recently held Islamabad Security Dialogue that India can benefit from more trade and connectivity to Central Asia if both nations resolve their issues. Speaking at the same event, Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa stressed that it is time to bury the past and move forward. In another encouraging sign, India and Pakistan will hold the first meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission in three years from March 23-24. 

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Published March 22nd, 2021 at 21:20 IST

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