NEW DELHI: In the first rebuff to Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the issue of India’s alleged interference in Balochistan post Sharm-El-Sheikh, US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke revealed that Pakistani leaders had brought up the issue but said they failed to give credible evidence to back the claim.
Mr Holbrooke had visited Pakistan last week just as the Pakistani propaganda machinery had started increasing the noise on Balochistan. “I would be misleading, if I said it didn’t come up,” Mr Holbrooke said according to reports. When asked a question on whether Pakistan had provided any “credible evidence of India’s involvement in Balochistan”, he responded in the negative. “The narrow answer to your question is no,” he said.
But Pakistan, which has shown persistence in accusing India on this issue, is unlikely to be thwarted by such statements. Anyways, Islamabad has vowed to reveal information of India’s alleged role in Balochistan soon.
Though this is the first time Pakistan has brought up the Balochistan issue after the Indo-Pak joint statement, similar attempts have been made to stick the insurgency problems in the region on India. In fact, in 2006 Pakistan had given information of India’s alleged involvement in Balochistan to the US, UK and other countries. Even at that time, no country had taken the Pakistani allegations seriously. But that had not deterred Islamabad from continuously flagging the issue in the international arena.
This time round Pakistan has clearly been emboldened by the Indo-Pak joint statement, where the Indian side relented and allowed a reference to Balochistan to be included in the joint statement. This has provided impetus to Pakistan which has been trying to grab the international community’s attention and capitalise on the Balochistan reference in the joint statement.
But the Indian side is expected to get a clearer picture of Pakistan-related issues when Mr Holbrooke visits New Delhi mid-August. “I am going to go back in mid-August. Within the limits of Indian Independence Day, they all are looking forward to my coming,” Mr Holbrooke said. The special envoy was expected in India last week but that trip was postponed.
He further maintained that there was no difference with India on the issue of Pakistan and Afghanistan. “You know, India was the first country in the world I was ever aware of. I have a very special feeling for it. And if there’s a rift, you have to ask the Indians. I didn’t see any rift,” the US envoy said.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/N ... s/articleshow/4839919.cms
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