Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 20:32:28 EDT
From: <DXA4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.pakistan
Subject: Pakistan:A Leopard Never Changes its Spots

In the wake of recent official talks between two countries, and at the same
time Pakistan's continued support to terrorists in J & K and Punjab, several
vernacular newspapers across India had commented editorially, the following
summary in Times of India (August 30, 1992) aptly describes nation's mood
regarding Pakistan's proxy was against India.

Dinesh Agrawal

******************
NO LOVE LOST

BY: Mr. Suneet Vir Singh

Pakistan is no friend of India.Editorial opinion across the nation is convinced
of the neighboring country's bekhudai (betrayal) whenever it comes to improving
bilateral relations between the two countries. As Siasat Jadeed (Urdu, Kanpur)
puts it "Pakistan has a dual policy when it comes to India. While holding bi-
lateral talks the Pakistani government does nothing to change its postures on
Kashmir and Punjab."

According to the Akali Patrika (Punjabi, Jalandhar), Pakistan's rulers are deli
berately provoking the religious sentiments of the Kashmiris and fuelling their
struggle for azadi. As for the role of Pakistan in aiding and abetting terror-
ism in Punjab, the Punjabi daily makes it clear that it is the Indian govern-
ment's failure to talk to the militants, and not Pakistan's fishing in the
troubled waters, which is responsible for the continued violence in the state.
"Unlike the Kashmir problem, the punjab problem could have been solved, had the
Union government treated it as a political one and not ignored the just demands
 of the people... Given Pakistan's hostility, India must strengthen its defen-
ces to ensure that the country can face any threat from Pakistan, there must
be peace in Punjab. Peace in Punjab will ensure the security of the whole
country."

West Bengal's leading daily, the Anand Bazar Patrika (Bengali, Calcutta) goes
a step further in pooh-poohing the relevance of talks with Pakistan: "Just as
a leopard never changes its spots, Pakistan's government is incapable of
giving up its habit of harassing India. By needlessly raking up the Kashmir
issue the Pakistan foreign secretary, Shahriyar Khan, has once again made it
amply clear that the Nawaz Sharif government is not prepared to alter its stand
Why does the Indian government take the trouble to hold talks with that
country."

According to Newstime (Hydrabad), the Indo-Pak dialogue will remain frozen
until and unless the two countries change their respective positions on
Kashmir: "With no change in the posture on Kashmir, the other agreements and
pacts branded as confidence building measures do not mark much of a progress.
The protocol on chemical weapons though significant in itself, does not carry
much import as the Pakistanis make no bones about their arms buying spree in
world markets and the intensive work on its clandstine nuclear weapons program,
which is aimed at India...

In view of the farcical nature of the Khan-Dixit talks, Loksatta (Marathi,
Bombay) advises Prime Minister Rao not to meet Sharif. "What is the use of
holding a summit when Pakistan continues to mistreat Indian diplomats posted
in Islamabad?  Only recently, the Pakistanis beat up Rajesh Mittal, an officer
in the India mission."

On the other hand, The Kashmir Times (Jammu) describes the recent talks as "a
step forward." The daily thinks that it is a "significant development" to
have reached an agreement on the code of conduct for diplomatic personnel, and
to have held the talks at all.

Surprisingly, Swadesh (Hindi, Bhopal), the BJP daily has a more optimistic
view of the talks, and even of Indo-Pak relations in the future, provided
Pakistan begins to see sense: "Though bilateral relations between the two
countries can never be normal, unless the Kashmir issue is resolved peacefully.
yet, the fact that talks have been held at all between India and Pakistan on
the Kashmir issue is a good sign. It is high time that Pakistan realised that
its attempt to capture Kashmir by force will lead it nowhere, for war with
India will endanger the very survival of Pakistan."

The most constructive suggestion comes from Naveen Duniya (Hindi, Jabalpur).
The daily wants to see delegations of writers and journalists instead of
politicians and bureaucrats, crossing the border from both sides.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian