India-Pak Track-2 Talks Held in Dubai

DUBAI: India and Pakistan had been exchanging fire across Line of Control (LoC) while an alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav was given death sentence in Pakistan but the two countries were also engaged in track-2 diplomacy simultaneously in an elegant hotel of Dubai.

It is stated and recommended in the track-2 diplomacy, "let's allow Kashmiris from both sides of LoC initiate the dialogue to find the ways to bring Pakistan and India closer," The NewsInternational reported on Wednesday.

Some politicians, former ambassadors, a few ex-army officers, prominent members of the civil society and selected journalists from both the countries attended track-II diplomacy held from Aril 8 to 9 and discussed ways to defuse tension between the two nuclear states, the report said.

The dialogue also had representatives from Kashmir to look at ways to improve relations, according to this report. It however did not mention the names of the participants.

Legislative Assembly Speaker of Pakistan controlled part of Kashmir Shah Ghulam Qadir, who was one of the participants, later claimed that Indian delegation accepted his recommendation of dialogue between the representatives from the two sides of Kashmir. 

Shah elaborated and suggested with the reference of Kashmir issue, "Pakistan and India have not succeeded in resolving the issues due to trust deficit between the two sides and India is against third party intervention even if it is the United Nations in this scenario both the countries would have to trust the Kashmiris to initiate the dialogue."

In a significant departure from the stated official position Speaker of Pak Kashmir assembly asked to form the group consisting of the representatives of both governments ruling two parts of Kashmir besides Hurriyat leaders so they could suggest Islamabad and Delhi to resolve the issues.

Germany's oldest organisation Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) that promotes democracy and political education facilitated the talks in the region where no one could watch them. Interestingly, the media was also kept away from the dialogue.

However quoting sources, report said that the meeting was in the knowledge of Pakistan and Indian government.

One of the participants from India said on condition of anonymity, that the group will soon give a report and recommendation to defuse tension in the region to the government." 

These talks were held in problematic circumstances as they came at a time when neither country seemed sure about how to move ahead.

The story was first published Here