Closed-door talks going on: Pak experts

NEW DELHI: Pakistani analysts are of the view that both General Pervez Musharraf’s tough speech on Monday and external affairs minister Jaswant Singh’s reaction to it on Tuesday seem to suggest that India and Pakistan are negotiating behind closed doors and a deal has been struck.


Lahore-based Friday Times editor, Najam Sethi, told The Times of India, ‘‘Musharraf’s speech was aimed at three audiences — domestic, international and Indian... For India, his message was, if you are flexing muscles so are we, but I am sure he has given India behind-the-scenes concessions. He has decided to take steps on cross-border terror and the hawkish posturing is only meant for Pakistanis’’.


According to Iqbal Haider of the Pakistan People’s Party, Singh’s harsh reaction was disappointing. ‘‘The kind of aggressive posturing on Singh’s part can only be counter-productive. He (Singh) should have realised that Musharraf’s speech was essentially meant for the domestic audience. Musharraf has given every indication in his speech that he is ready to concede on the issue of cross-border terror and was not aggressive in his posturing at all. Singh’s reaction has not helped the de-escalation of the war phobia at all and he should have kept a window open for talks at Almaty,’’ he said.