Analysis of Interview given by Dr. Moeed Yousaf (Pakistan’s National Security Advisor of PM) to Indian journalist
The interview is of much importance as it is the first official interview given by any Pakistani government official to Indian media since the constitutional changes occurred in Kashmir. From the Pakistani side, it was Pakistan’s National Security Advisor to PM and Strategical policy planner Moeed Yousaf interview given to Indian journalist Karan Thapar. The interview is of much importance as it is 24 trending on YouTube also, the basic talks in the interview were about the ongoing Kashmir issue and the future of Pak-India relations. The other topics in the context of Pak-India relations which are always in a talk in media were also discussed such as, Kulbhushan Yadav case, Mumbai attacks, Pulvama attacks. As expected the Indian journalist was asking questions furiously as India always has been with Pakistan since the Modi government is in power. On the other side, Moeed Yousaf was giving answers very calmly and his approach to the questions was very professional and so do the answers were too. Most probably because he is not a typical politician and is a practiced scholar. Overall I think the interview was really good and informational, it also predicted that in the future there would be a way of talks between both governments on the official level. Only if the Indian government for the sake of elections doesn’t start tensions on the border.
Key questions and responses
• The first concern of Mr. Thapar was that the constitutional change after article 370 done by India in Kashmir is the Indian internal matter, in reference he said that as Pakistan has done in Gilgit Baltistan scenario. Clearly, both conditions are completely different and Thaapr has no logic behind this argument to which Moeed Yousef gave the answer based on Pakistan’s stance over Kashmir and told Thapar that Kashmir is a disputed land as the Muslims there are willingly wanted to become a part of Pakistan and there is obvious hate against India between Kashmiri people as they demand freedom from the Indian government. Despite Gilgit Baltistan was never a disputed area between Pakistan and India and no freedom movements are occurring there. At one point Moeed Yousef asked Karan Thapar to hold a UN body-based plebiscite in Kashmir to which Karan Thapar did not answer and change the question towards the Gilgit Baltistan scenario. This indicates that Indians clearly know the reality but they do not want to face it.
- Then Karan Thapar raised the concerns about Uighurs Muslims in china that why Pakistan does not speak about that to which Moeed Yousef answered that the Pakistani government clearly knows the situation and there is no such issue it’s propaganda by the west. Further moving Thapar raised the question that why the Pakistani government despite ICJ’s instructions is not giving counselor access to Kalbushan Yadav. Moeed Yousef said that an Indian agent responsible for terror attacks in Pakistan asked for a mercy petition from the government of Pakistan but his own government dumped him as Pakistani law required a Pakistani citizen as Kalbushan Yadav’s lawyer. While in this part Karan Thapar seemed to be confused about the Kulbhushan case.
• The last part of the interview in the words of Mr. Karan Thapar the most important issue in the crisis of Pak India relations is that why the Pakistani government is not giving punishment to the culprits behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Moeed Yousef said that it’s a matter of no cross border investigations faithfully occurred. In this scenario may be Moeed Yousef was pointing towards subjective territory jurisdiction according to which Pakistan has not been given proper access to the crime scene and the shreds of evidence.
• In last Moeed Yousef claimed that in future Pakistan will show the many proofs relating to the Indian involvement in terrorist attacks in Pakistan and also Indian involvement in Pulwama attacks. Mr. Moeed seemed to be very confident about the pieces of evidence and he said shortly there will be more to come. The interview ended with the concern of Mr. Yousef about the future of the region and he said that we should forget the past incidents and clearly look forward to the future. And it could only be done if India is willing truly for peace and prosperity of the region and it could only be done after India regains the Kashmir position and second India stops terrorist activities in Pakistan.
