Pak PM hopes Singh's 'expediencies' won't affect normalisation

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jul 19 (PTI) Fresh from talks with his Indian
counterpart during which New Delhi agreed not to link
resumption of dialogue to Pakistan's action against terrorism,
Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he hoped that Manmohan
Singh's political "expediencies" would not prevent
normalisation of bilateral ties.

"Dr Singh has still to sell the idea of engagement with
Pakistan back home, for which he needs time, and he is
primarily trying to pacify those opposed to normalisation of
ties between the two countries," Gilani told 'Dawn' newspaper
on the return flight from Egypt, where he met Singh on the
sidelines of the NAM summit on Thursday.

Gilani said he hoped Singh's political "expediencies"
would not prevent normalisation of bilateral relations. "There
may be expediencies, but we need to look ahead," he said.

The Pakistani media has made much of India's apparent
climbdown on the issue of holding peace talks with Pakistan,
but Gilani appeared not surprised by his Indian counterpart's
move during their recent meeting.

Gilani "appeared unfazed" by Singh agreeing to Pakistan's
contention of not linking Islamabad's action against
terrorism, especially against perpetrators of Mumbai attacks,
to the revival of the dialogue, Dawn reported Sunday.

After the meeting, the Pakistani media had referred to
the development as a "major retreat" and "climbdown" by India.

Gilani said there was no way forward other than dialogue
– an issue both prime ministers had agreed on in their talks.

In his first press conference here after meeting Singh in
Egypt, the Pakistan Prime Minister Saturday night blamed India
for "interference" in Balochistan and "other areas" and said
the Indo-Pak Joint Statement reflected Pakistan's concerns
over this.

He, however, showered praise on Singh for agreeing to
restart dialogue, saying the Indian leader had shown
"political sagacity" and "statesmanship" in realising that
talks were the only way forward.

Pakistani political leaders and former military officials
have described the outcome of the Egypt meeting as positive
and Gilani has received much praise for this.

Observers said that this meeting was more successful than
Singh's talks with President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia last
month, during which the soft-spoken Premier surprised the
Pakistani leader by telling him in the media's presence that
his "limited mandate" was to say that Pakistani soil should
not be used for terrorism.

Opposition PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain Sayed said
Pakistan had highlighted its stance in the Egypt meeting,
particularly its concerns about alleged Indian involvement in
fomenting unrest in Balochistan.

Sayed also lauded Gilani for taking all political leaders
into confidence before his meeting with Singh. PTI RHL
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