India-Pakistan ties look bleak, says Pakistani daily

Islamabad, Aug 16 Ties between India and Pakistan look bleak after the two countries indulged in a war of words on their Independence Days on August 14 and 15, a Pakistani daily said on Tuesday.

"At the moment, things do indeed look bleak between Pakistan and India and it would require extraordinary diplomatic manoeuvring to reshape relations from here," the Daily Times said in an editorial. 

It said "things are spiralling from bad to worse" as Pakistan and India have engaged in a war of unsavoury words.

Pakistan dedicated its Independence Day on August 14 to the cause of "independence" in Jammu and Kashmir where militants are fighting against Indian troops.

New Delhi in turn accused Islamabad of exporting “international terrorism, cross-border infiltrators, weapons, narcotic and fake currency”.

And on Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his annual Independence Day address, openly came out in support of "independence" in Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-held Kashmir.

The Times said there was "sadly ... nothing new about any of this as Pakistan and India have long held intransigent positions, and indulged in political point scoring that has effectively precluded the possibility of any meaningful progress (in negotiations)". 

While urging New Delhi to talk Kashmir, the daily said Pakistan must address India's security concerns and apprehend all those linked to cross-border terrorism.

However, it said that Modi's "confrontational" stand vis-a-vis Pakistan on India's Independence Day was "in appallingly bad taste". 

"Modi's remarks would worsen Pakistan-India relations and give teeth to Pakistan's allegations," it said.

The News International too said that neither India nor Pakistan was in any mood for diplomacy now.

"What is more troubling is the possibility that the diplomatic war of words could translate into another extended period of firing across the LoC (Line of Control)," it said in an editorial. 

"It is time for empty posturing and empty shelling to be rooted out of our regional politics," it added.