Bridging gaps

The challenge is huge: The youngest foreign minister in Pakistan's history, Hina Rabbani Khar, has to face her veteran Indian counterpart, 79-year-old S.M. Krishna across the conference table. She must not forget that her predecessor, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, was renowned for his clever political moves and wise diplomacy. She has a lot to live up to against the background of the failure of the last Indo-Pak talks. After all, the rivalry between the two South Asian nuclear powers India and Pakistan is 67 years old. But Hina Rabbani Khar, the first female foreign minister of Pakistan, is just 34.

Crucial talks

Last year’s foreign minister level talks were a failure and ended acrimoniously. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the then foreign minister of Pakistan, attacked Indian foreign minister S.M. Krishna at a press conference and the talks collapsed. And now both sides are under pressure to make a fresh start, a task that isn't that easy to handle for Hina Rabbani Khar as many consider her to be too inexperienced. However, analysts in Pakistan feel she can handle the situation. Sajjad Naseer, a renowned political analyst from Lahore, says that Khar has already gained some political experience as a junior minister in the past government.

Moreover, he suggests that the main thrust of Pakistani foreign policy is shaped by other parts of the political establishment in Islamabad. "She is not a novice, I would say. She has a couple of years of experience at her disposal." Naseer adds, "but given the foreign policy operations in Pakistan, it is generally perceived that the foreign policy, defense and security issues are handled by the military establishment in consultation with the civil government."

Bitter history

Independence from Britain in 1947 divided the former colony into three parts: India and West and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Since that very day, both sides have tried to resolve the most complicated issue, Kashmir, and a long list of other problems. But despite peace talks at many levels, most of these issues are still unsolved. While India and Pakistan remain bound together by culture and language, more often than not they have been enemies rather than friends. They have fought three wars against each other. The attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 and the 2008 Islamist terrorist attack on the Indian financial capital of Mumbai rubbed even more salt into the wound. India holds Pakistan responsible for the so-called 26/11 attacks on Mumbai as the lone surviving gunman, Aamir Ajmal Kasab, has been identified as a Pakistani citizen. After this incident, India broke of all relations with Pakistan, including sporting events although "cricket diplomacy" has had a positive impact in the past.

New beginnings

With a masters degree in hospitality and tourism from the renowned Massachusetts University, 34 year-old Khar has an opportunity to make a fresh start. But could being a woman be an obstacle? Political scientist Sajjad Naseer says that this is not an issue as Pakistan has already had a woman Prime Minister in Benazir Bhutto. Moreover, many more female politicians are emerging these days in Pakistan. Khar, who is said to be a keen trekker and polo enthusiast, is part of a family dynasty in the southern Punjab, an ideal background for a political career. Her father is a large feudal landowner from Muzaffargarh. Naseer believes, however, that it will be difficult for the self-confident Khar to push through her own policies. "I don’t think that she is an independent agent in terms of giving directions to the foreign policy. I think she will be following the agenda prepared by the military establishment in consultation with the civil government. She has very little space, not enough to become a catalyst for foreign policy."

Difficult issues on the agenda

Indian analysts also believe that the talks will be formal and will not bring any breakthrough or results. Savita Pande, an expert on South Asian affairs at the prestigious Jawaharlal -Nehru- University in Delhi says mere talks won’t help. "There have to be policy changes; there should be a stop to the support of terrorist groups in Pakistan. Within Pakistan, the morale of the civilian government, the military and the intelligence is pretty low after the Abbottabad case. So any radical change or initiative from that side is not to be expected," says Pande.

Pakistan has been under immense pressure since the killing of former al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden last May in his hideout in Abbottabad. While the US is very unpopular in Pakistan, not least because of continuing drone strikes, the unpopular civilian government in Islambad does not wish to further antagonize voters by taking a closer step towards its long rival India. It is the same formula that applies to India too, says Pande. "What governs the India and Pakistan relations is public opinion; public opinion in India is against Pakistan. Hardly had anti-Pakistani sentiment died down after the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, there was a new bombing." Pande adds, "my personal opinion is that nothing dramatic is going to come out of the talks."

Against this background, Pakistan's new young foreign minister has a huge uphill task ahead of her.

Author: Anwar Jamal Ashraf
Editor: Grahame Lucas