Are back-channel talks what we need?

In Blog
May 21, 2021
Hamna Sajjad
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The nations of Pakistan and India have always had their differences. Unfortunately, the history the two nations share is not a peaceful one, filled with political unrest. The matter of Kashmir has been the predominant cause of conflict and is a topic which seems to be become more sensitive as time passes. However, it has

The nations of Pakistan and India have always had their differences. Unfortunately, the history the two nations share is not a peaceful one, filled with political unrest. The matter of Kashmir has been the predominant cause of conflict and is a topic which seems to be become more sensitive as time passes. However, it has recently come to light that India and Pakistan have been holding back-channel talks on Kashmir but, although this is a discovery which may instill hope in people’s hearts, holding back-channel talks can also cast doubt on the intentions of the two governments for Kashmir, despite it indeed being a steadier method of negotiations than open-channel talks.

Back-channel talks between Pakistan and India also took place during the time of Pervez Musharraf and that the agenda of these talks have been, among other things, the search for an end solution for the Kashmir conflict. Khurshid Kasuri, who was the Foreign Minister at the time, expressed that diplomacy alone could help achieve the countries goals in Kashmir and that since Pakistan had become a nuclear power, “war was no longer an option for either side.”

Recently, it has been reported that the National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, and Moeed Yousaf, National Security Advisor of Pakistan, were involved in direct communications, Pakistan formerly denied holding back-channel talks. The Foreign Office spokesperson, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said that the “states have their ways and means to communicate which remain available even during wars. Therefore, whether any talks are taking place between India and Pakistan is not important.” When India’s Ministry of External Affairs was asked, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry did not directly reject the question but expressed that “Our respective High Commissions exist and are functioning. They are an effective channel of communications. I have nothing more to share”.

But the joint statement to adhere strictly to the 2003 ceasefire agreement at the Line of Control which was released earlier this year is seen as result of these back-channel talks, with more signs emerging. One indication is of Pakistan steering clear of the Kashmir issue during the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation meeting on the recent pandemic. Another being reported by an official that New Delhi allowed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special aircraft to use Indian airspace en route to Sri Lanka.

Yet, considering whether back-channel talks are the right path to take in reaching an end solution on Kashmir, the reality is that they do break deadlocks between countries, as they permit the governments to quietly probe and ascertain a change in policy without attracting the public’s attention and, thereby, its scrutiny. Indulging in such negotiations can also enable the two governments to ascertain whether each party is determined to negotiate in good faith, before moving on and publicizing their negotiations and implementing them. Also, in the past, back-channel talks with India have proven to bear fruit, such as the formation of the four-point formula concerning Kashmir, which was a break-through idea that would have made the line of control irrelevant if it had been implemented.

However, the protection which back-channel talks can provide India and Pakistan is a short lived one because once a solution has been reached, public scrutiny will inevitably be raised as the governments will have to publicize it before or after implementation. Not every citizen of the two countries will be willing to accept the solution provided. Since there is a rich history of back-channel negotiations between Pakistan and India, it should not be surprising that there were back-channel negotiations going one between the two countries. However, there is a risk of placing a lot of reliance upon this secretive manner of negotiations, which may cause the governments to be doubted as Kashmir is a matter which the people of Pakistan and India feel strongly about.

As citizens, they also may want to be kept up to date with the negotiations concerning the disputed area. Considering this, open channel talks seem to be the better option, as they will raise the confidence of the people in their governments and the solutions reached will be more easily accepted. Moreover, public scrutiny can act as a compass for the two governments in making the correct decision as the representatives of their people, for holding secretive talks can lead one to question whether there is an element of bias, with the governments favoring their own interests rather than the peoples. On the other hand, when one considers the history the two nations share, having back-channel negotiations will be considering as a good omen, especially when the change in circumstances is taken into account.

Additionally, Pakistan has shown optimism concerning the back-channel negotiations, despite previously refusing the possibility of such negotiations. This may be because it was India who had reached out first and proposed to hold such talks. However, this optimism does not seem to be well placed. Although it is a good sign that India is the one initiating the negotiations, there is, unfortunately, no indication yet, of how serious the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government is as they have sidestepped many questions concerning their involvement in these backchannel talks.

Moreover, it is also not clear whether they are willing to go beyond talks and implement whatever solution is reached. There is also no sign of India ceasing its military action in occupied Kashmir and reducing its human rights violations. Therefore, the statement that India is willing to “restore Kashmir’s statehood” is one which cannot be easily understood, and Pakistan still needs to be cautious concerning the matter of Kashmir because although it has been revealed that back-channel talks are underway, no solution has been reached as of yet. Although holding back-channel talks is the positive first step, it is far too early to be optimistic for the outcome.