‘Dialogue phase with Pakistan is now over’: Kanwal Sibal fires back at ex FM Hina Rabbani Khar

Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal on Wednesday responded to former Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, saying India’s years of diplomatic engagement with Pakistan had failed due to Islamabad’s use of terrorism as leverage. “Years of dialogue and diplomacy with Pakistan did not produce any result because Pakistan viewed the tool of terrorism as a diplomatic tool to bring India to the dialogue table. That phase is now over,” Sibal said.

“Pakistan has to durably and credibly give up its terrorist affiliations. Chances of this are bleak with a rabid Hindu-hating Islamist self-elevated to Field Marshal’s rank holding real power in Pakistan. That senior Pakistani military figures attended the funeral of terrorists killed in Indian strikes says it all.”

“Smooth talk by fashionistas doesn’t open the way forward. Even with a lot of facial gloss Pak realities can’t be glossed over,” he stated.

Sibal’s remarks came after Hina Rabbani Khar indirectly referred to India’s firm stance on not resuming dialogue with Pakistan. “Glad to know ‘that there is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy in order to address and resolve the multiple conflicts in the region’,” Khar said while reacting to the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement on the Iran-Israel conflict.

The MEA issued a statement on Tuesday amid the Iran-Israel conflict, welcoming reports of a ceasefire and reiterating: “There is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy in order to address and resolve the multiple conflicts in the region.”

Khar’s comment was seen as a dig at India’s stated refusal to engage in talks with Pakistan unless it ends support for cross-border terrorism. On May 29, India reaffirmed that its dialogue with Islamabad would not resume until Pakistan takes “concrete and effective” steps against terrorism.

“As far as our engagement with Pakistan is concerned, our stand has been clear. Any engagement has to be bilateral. We would like to reiterate that terrorism and talks cannot go together. They need to hand over to India, noted terrorists, whose records and list we submitted to them some years ago,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.

He added, “Talks on J&K will be held only on the vacating of PoK and when Pakistan hands over the territory to us… As far as the Indus Water Treaty is concerned, it will remain in abeyance till the time Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support to cross-border terrorism.”