We are in tough place but not thinking in war terms: Pak High Commissioner Basit

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit does not believe that India and Pakistan are at verge of war. Instead, he has urged both nations to find a diplomatic solution. 

Speaking to The Telegraph in an interview, Basit said, “I strongly believe Pakistan and India do not gain anything from creating hype. War is not a solution, war creates more problems. I would strongly urge that the problems we have should be solved through peaceful means... We should not allow war hysteria to dominate our narrative.”

“Pakistan desires to have a normal, co-operative relationship with India and resolve all problems peacefully.  We do have problems, but in Pakistan we believe they should be resolved only through peaceful means, there is no other way,” he said.

 India and Pakistan’s relations are at their worst in recent history, following terrorist attack in Indian Army’s headquarters in Uri, Srinagar. The attack left 18 Indian soldiers dead, a sacrifice that has enraged the nation.

 Reacting over the Pakistan’s denial of any involvement in Uri attacks contrary to India’s claim, Basit said that no “premature conclusions should be deducted yet as NIA investigation is underway. “I would humbly suggest that it is not helpful to jump the gun… I am a diplomat and I would like diplomacy to win. I, for one, would not like to believe that bilateral diplomacy has exhausted itself. ” 

Responding to Indian Diplomat Eenam Gambhir’s statement in United Nations General Assembly that Pakistan is the host of an "Ivy League" institution for terrorism education, Pak High Commissioner said that Pakistan has also suffered the terror menace and has lost more than 70,000 people and nearly 6,000 of our soldiers in the fight against terror.

“Diplomacy cannot be conducted through verbosity. Diplomacy has to be conducted on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect and understanding,” he said.