'PM Manmohan Singh opened secret talks with Kayani 10 months ago'

LONDON: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had initiated a secret contact with Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Kiyani 10 months ago through an unofficial envoy that helped prepare the ground for the cricket diplomacy at Mohali, according to a report in a leading British newspaper.

"The Times" of London on Saturday reported the back channel exercise was intended to ensure the powerful Pakistani army's backing for the peace process and led to hope in Western capitals about India and Pakistan putting their bilateral process on track.

The report, however, did not receive any endorsement from either the Indian foreign office or the Prime Minister's Office. The PMO spokesperson said he would offer no comment as he had not read the report. The foreign office also did not react to the report when approached by the media.

"Manmohan Singh appointed an unofficial envoy to make contact with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani," the newspaper stated. It did not identify the person.

India-Pakistan ties were in doldrums before Singh decided to inject some momentum and invited Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Gilani to watch the cricket World Cup semi-final between the two nations at Mohali. While the invitation materialized after India won its quarter-final against Australia, Singh's commitment to the peace process is well known.

With the Pakistan army having the final say on India policy, the effort to reach out to Kayani was previously reported by TOI as well. The new claims speak of an unofficial messenger seeking to test waters and see if Kayani's backing could be ensured to boost ties that have never quite recovered since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The cautious response of Indian officials to "The Times" report could be rooted in the apprehension of sparking a political controversy. Alleged contact with the Pakistani army is bound to invite the Opposition's inquiries about the nature of such an outreach and if it was under US pressure.

The view in London certainly seems to be that the peace process is being driven by the US, which has a stake in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan. Settling of the disputed border at Sir Creek and demilitarization of Siachen glacier are reported to have figured in discussions between the envoy and Kayani.
Indian officials, including foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, have repeatedly said in the recent past that their Pakistani counterparts assured them that the re-engagement process has Kayani's backing. In that context, it is perhaps not unrealistic to assume that Kayani might have been approached by the Indian side.

"The Times" report suggests the recent bonhomie might have been a result of efforts to engage Kayani. Without admitting as much India gave in to Pakistan's insistence on resuming full-scale or composite dialogue stalled after the Mumbai attacks. The US and the UK believe competition between the rivals for influence in Afghanistan could be managed better – to the benefit of Western interests -- if a peace process is underway.

As TOI reported earlier, India instructed its envoy in Pakistan to look at the possibility of opening dialogue not just with Kayani but also ISI chief Shuja Pasha. Known to be India-centric and extremely hostile, Kayani does seem to have responded positively to Indian overtures even though it is New Delhi which seems to be making most of the concessions.

A Wikileaks cable from the US embassy in London said Kayani is the "remaining obstacle" to a deal on Kashmir which both Singh and Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari are ready to sign. Kayani, in any case, leads Pakistan in the strategic dialogue process with the US.

If true, this would probably be the first time that India has directly, even if secretly, engaged the Pakistani army chief in a dialogue. Till now, it dealt with army chiefs who became dictators. New Delhi clearly realizes the futility of going ahead with any exercise with Pakistan which does not have the backing of Kayani and the military.

Kayani accompanied by Gen Pasha visited Kabul last week to meet members of the "High Peace Council", a body set up by Afghan president Hamid Karzai. "The Times" commented that in the past India has condemned such visits as meddling in Afghanistan's internal affairs, but remained silent. The interpretation may not be correct as India has no reason to comment on such an interaction.

"The Times", however, admitted that despite Singh's desire for normalization of relations with Pakistan and the US pressure to achieve this, "there remain other substantial obstacles to a lasting thaw". The 26/11 issue is a hurdle as Pakistan has not as yet agreed to Indian investigators interviewing Pakistani suspects, only interrogators of the alleged conspirators and masterminds.