NEW DELHI: Indian diplomatic circles are intrigued by Pakistan’s sudden and significant change of position on New Delhi’s role in Afghanistan. On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the National Assembly that peace in Afghanistan was a “shared responsibility” of regional countries, including India, Iran, Tajikistan and China, and that “since India is present in Afghanistan, its cooperation in this regard will also be required.”
So far, seeing it as an attempt at ‘strategic encirclement,’ Pakistan has vehemently opposed any Indian involvement in Afghanistan. While the ministry of external affairs is yet to formally react to the apparent Pakistani U-turn, officials privately expressed scepticism over Pakistan’s motivations. The apparent change of heart was attributed to US pressure, Chinese pressure, an attempt to show Pakistan’s sincerity about wanting peace with India, or a combination of all three.
Rana Banerjee, a former Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat known for his expertise on Pakistan, dismisses the possibility of Pakistan acting either under Chinese or US pressure. The Chinese may have their interests in a peaceful Afghanistan, and might even have launched a joint initiative with India to train Afghan diplomats, but they would never pressure Pakistan to act against its own interests, he asserts. And certainly no amount of US pressure could bring about such a change, he believes.