NEW DELHI: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s belief that chances of peace talks with India might be better if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP return to power, has given a handle to the Opposition — so far at the receiving end of the PM’s jibes over their perceived anti-nationalist stand — post Balakot-to berate the BJP with.
Khan, while addressing a select group of international journalists in Islamabad, said if Congress were to come to power, it might be too scared to seek a settlement with Pakistan on Kashmir, fearing a backlash from the Right. “Perhaps if the BJP – a right-wing party – wins, some kind of settlement on Kashmir could be reached,” he said.“This is despite the massive alienation that Muslims in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and elsewhere in India were facing under the BJP government,” he told BBC’s John Simpson, adding, “the Kashmir issue has to be settled and cannot keep boiling like it is.”
The Congress was quick to go on the offensive. “Pak has officially allied with Modi! A vote for Modi is a vote for Pakistan!” tweeted Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, adding, “Modi ji.First Nawaz Sharif and now Imran Khan is your dear friend. Imran Khan… seems to now wish for his friend Modi Ji’s success, this entire country saw ModiJi’s love for Nawaz Sharif and ISI when he went uninvited to Pakistan and then invited ISI to India...” he tweeted.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also lashed out at Modi saying, “Pakistan has been the only issue of Modi’s election campaign, where he has scurrilously tried to link it to Opposition. Now we know who Pakistan actually wants as PM — the only Indian PM to have invited ISI to a military base, and the one who went to Pakistan uninvited,” he said.
Mehbooba Mufti, the PDP leader remarked: “Bhakts scratching their heads & at wit ends wondering if they should praise Imran Khan or not.”
Tilak Devasher, former special secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, said Khan’s statement has to be seen in context.
“Two days ago Pakistan’s foreign minister had come out with a statement about India planning another attack between April 16 and 20. So if Khan says the present government has a better chance of peace, there’s a total contradiction. He’s trying to cover up what Qureshi said.”