In what appears to be initial signs of de-escalation in the current Indo-Pak rift, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood, is returning to New Delhi. Mahmood was recalled after the Pulwama attack, after which, the situation deteriorated to the lowest level at the diplomatic front. The situation could be further improved as talks on the Kartarpur Corridor are also expected to go as planned, according to a statement.
The statement was issued here on Tuesday by the Foreign Office after the acting High Commissioner was invited to the ministry. In recent weeks, the both countries have mostly summoned each other’s diplomats because of the ongoing tensions.
The statement said the acting Indian envoy was conveyed that the Pakistani High Commissioner was returning to New Delhi after completion of consultations in Islamabad.
The envoy was also informed that a Pakistani delegation would visit New Delhi on March 14 as planned for talks to finalise the modalities for the Kartarpur Corridor. Indian team would then pay a return visit to Islamabad on March 28.
Another significant move taken by Pakistan was to inform the Indian side of its commitment of “continued weekly contact at the military operations directorates level.” The Pakistan and Indian militaries have a hotline through which the military operations directorates of the two neighbours interact with each other on a weekly basis.
If all goes well, these steps may result in continued de-escalation of tensions between the two countries. The steps could possibly be the result of backchannel talks via influential entities on both sides of the border.
Published in Daily Times, March 6th 2019.
