Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh are expected to discuss water, trade, terrorism, Indian involvement in Balochistan unrest and other thorny issues such as Kashmir, Siachin and Sir Creek on the sidelines of semi-final match between Indian and Pakistan at Mohali on March 30.
Indian Prime Minister on Friday invited both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani to Mohali to witness the cricket match which diplomats termed as a major development at a time when both countries were engaged in verbal attacks against each other. Pakistani officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Presidency, Prime Minister Secretariat and GHQ have carefully weighed the invitation extended by the Indian Prime Minister.
"We are carefully considering the invitation and decision in this regard will be taken shortly," said an official on condition of not to be quoted. Cricket diplomacy between India and Pakistan is not new. In the 1980s then military President General Zia-ul-Haq had initiated cricket diplomacy. Former President General Pervez Musharraf also watched a match in India which was won by Pakistan.
Well informed sources told Business Recorder that Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Shahid Malik has urged the government to positively consider the invitation of Indian Prime Minister as it provides a golden opportunity to resume the stalled composite dialogue and Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
Officials in Foreign Ministry said that the invitations have been received and are being sent to the office of the president and the prime minister. India is making all out efforts to get Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status from Pakistan since long but Pakistan is unwilling to do so until politically thorny issues especially Jammu and Kashmir are also on the table.
Trade between Pakistan and India is also based on negative list and Commerce Ministry is not allowed to give permission for import or export of any item from India until the Prime Ministers clears the proposal. Presently, dozens of such requests are pending with the Commerce Ministry.
India is also trying to get access to Afghanistan through Wahgah for export of its goods to Afghanistan but Pakistan has clubbed this with progress on composite dialogue. Pakistan had promised under the Afghanistan Transit Trade agreement that it would provide a side letter allowing India to export to Afghanistan via Wahgah in future, however, this letter is yet to be given by Islamabad.
Sources said, Prime Minister, Gilani will request the Indian Prime Minister not to block a European Union (EU) package meant for flood-affected people. Recently, Indian Minister for Commerce and Industries, Anand Sharma wrote a letter to his Pakistani counterpart, Makhdoom Amin Fahim urging Pakistan to seek direct financial help from Europe for the flood-affected people instead of seeking trade incentives.
A couple of days ago, India blocked the EU package calling for a waiver on grant of additional autonomous trade preferences to Pakistan at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Council for Trade of Goods. According to sources, Prime Minister Gilani will also take up water issues with his Indian counterpart subsequent to the start of construction of some controversial water projects/dams in Held Kashmir which would transform affected areas in Pakistan into desert.
A Pakistani delegation which recently visited India, reported to the government that low level outlets that had been plugged at Salal hydroelectric plant were found to be intact as per the earlier plan. The off take from Ranbeer and Partab canals was according to the agreement and classified in accordance with the Indus Water Treaty, 1960. However, it was noted by the team that India has started construction of an artificial lake storage project at river Tavi.
The Ministry of Water and Power, sources said, has recommended to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a strong protest with India for the start of any project on joint rivers without prior consultation with Pakistan. According to the Treaty, India is bound to inform Pakistan months before the start of any project on rivers flowing into Pakistan. The sources said Prime Minister will take up this issue with his Indian counter part as construction of artificial lake without prior information to Pakistan is a clear violation of the Treaty.
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