Asian superpowers, Pakistan and India have been engaged in “back channel” talks to break the stalemate in the relationship between the countries, Express Tribune reported.
India and Pakistan have halted all ties since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 05, when Pakistan snapped down all the business lines between India and Pakistan.
According to the report, though diplomatic ties and bilateral trade were suspended, there have been “quiet back channel” talks between the two sides, even before the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took charge last month.
These contacts have led to the renewal of the ceasefire agreement that began in February 2021. However, there has been no breakthrough in terms of resumption of dialogue between the two countries, the report said.
Since the new government took charge in Pakistan, there has been a renewed effort from both sides to find a way out. “Call it back channels, Track-II or behind-the-scene talks, I can only confirm that relevant people in both countries are in touch with each other,” the report quoted an official source as saying.
Chances of an immediate breakthrough are low, given the political uncertainty in Pakistan and the tough preconditions attached by either side for resumption of any dialogue, the official said.
Five-member Pakistani delegation crossed over to India via the Attari-Wagah border on Sunday to hold talks under the Indus Water Treaty. The delegation is led by Indus Water Commissioner Syed Maher Ali Shah.
This is the second Pakistani delegation to visit India in the last few weeks. Earlier this month a Pakistani delegation visited Delhi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) regional anti-terror structure (RATS) meet.
On April 28, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that there is no change in its stance towards Pakistan of desiring an atmosphere free of terrorism in order for talks to happen.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a media briefing, said India’s demand for an atmosphere free of terrorism for talks to happen is a legitimate right. “Our stand is very simple, there should be an atmosphere free of terrorism, only in such an atmosphere can talks happen.”