Pakistan must look its own needs, parity with India unattainable: Hussain Haqqani

Former Pakistani diplomat Hussain Haqqani has advised his country not to seek parity with India and to look after its own needs and interests to ensure both progress and stability.

"Pakistan's parity with India is unattainable so Pakistan, as an independent and sovereign country should look and concentrate on its own interests and build the country according to the needs of the hour to ensure that the country avoids to be dysfunctional," Haqqani was quoted by the London-based The Nation, as saying.

Addressing a meeting on 'Pakistan-Afghanistan and a History of Mistrust' at the reputable British think tank 'Chatham House' here on Monday, Haqqani also offered his thoughts on what he believes makes consistent cooperation difficult between Pakistan and Afghanistan and how their relations are coloured by ties with India, the United States and other countries.

Reflecting on historic accounts as well as his own experiences, he shared his thoughts with the audience on Pakistan-Afghanistan mistrust in the context of Pakistan's hostility to India and difficulties with Islamist extremism and terrorism.

During the question-answer session, 'The Nation' drew his attention towards the mistrust between India and Pakistan, asking him that both the countries are locked in blame game since their inception in 1947 and accuse each other and it is general felt and stated that the Kashmir is core issue of their enmity. In your opinion what the best solution to this imbroglio whether you favour the statuesque and other way-out?

Haqqani responded that the 'blame game' is not proper word for this situation.

"Statuesque is not a solution, we have to do bargain, give and take. India offered demarcation and brought the map but Pakistan didn't heed and missed a good opportunity to resolve the issue," he said.

"Pakistan is losing support on Kashmir. Last year, Pakistan Prime minister Nawaz Sharif was the only leader who raised the issue at the UN General Assembly and no voice in his support supplemented him at the house of 193 nations. What situation will you call it, just addressing ourselves on Kashmir. UN adopted last resolution on Kashmir in 1957 after that no voice was heard till now," he emphasised further.

He also maintained that Pakistan is giving a free hand to groups like the LeT, JuD and other outlawed organisations, including Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi who is accused of Mumbai attacks, and added that to expect something positive seemed far-fetched.

He urged Islamabad to address fundamental issues and said the military doctrine of parity is no good.

He said, "We have to look into the progress being made by India in all sections of life. India produces PhD holders in quite big number in a year that Pakistan has produced since 1947. India enjoys 24 national languages, why Pakistan cannot recognise only five languages. We tried to impose the Urdu language on Bengalis in East Pakistan and now the result in front of us. They are now Bangladesh, no more with us. 92 percent children of age between 5 and 18 go to schools in India, but this ratio is only 54 percent in Pakistan."

Haqqani said, "We always think that India wants to terminate Pakistan and act accordingly, but we should adopt a pragmatic approach instead. There is no danger of Indian presence in Afghanistan. India wants to boost trade with this landlocked country. We want to see Afghanistan free from Indian influence to ensure no security risk. Pakistan Army would not like Afghan Taliban in power that is why Pakistani Taliban are present. Attitude of present Afghan government is friendlier towards Islamabad."

The session was chaired by Xenia Wickett, Project Director, US; Dean, The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, Chatham House.