LAHORE, Feb 9: Dr Mubashir Hasan, a member of the National Council of Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy, says the tit-for-tat expulsions of deputy high commissioners and other staff by India and Pakistan are unfortunate and counter-productive.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, he said speculation that the present worsened state of India-Pakistan relations was somehow linked to the international situation could not be entirely ruled out. “There may not be any truth in it, but in such matters perceptions do count”.

Dr Hasan said there was a possibility of the US demanding Pakistan to denuclearize, deweaponize its missiles, secularize its system of education and drastically improve the law and order situation soon after the dust settled down on the Iraqi adventure.

Given this assumption, he said, India could feel encouraged to maintain high level of diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. “However, this will be a useless exercise”.

Expulsion of diplomatic staff, the PPP-SB Punjab president said, meant that more vigorous work would have to be done by the forum to mobilize the people of both countries to influence their governments to normalize diplomatic relations, reopen rail, road and air traffic and resume talks to settle all outstanding disputes, including the issue of Kashmir.

Dr Hasan, who returned to Pakistan only a few days ago after paying a visit to India in connection with his peace initiative, said peace-loving people in both countries were determined to foil the intransigent attitude of the two governments.

“It seems that the Indian government is motivated by domestic agenda. The BJP government wants to win the forthcoming elections in Himachal Pradesh and other states on the basis of anti-Pakistan moves. This is not new”, the former finance minister said of the government’s decision to expel diplomats of the Pakistani High Commission.

He said: “Our history is full of episodes when either government has used the Pakistan-India confrontation to maintain or enhance its popularity”.

Regarding the charge against Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner that he gave money to some woman, Dr Hasan said it was simply ridiculous. “Everyone knows that high level diplomats never indulge in direct espionage activities. The move on the Pakistan side is just retaliatory. It would have been better if it had not taken place”.

Asked how the development would affect the forum’s peace efforts, Dr Hasan said: “We expect to exchange delegations of Indian and Pakistani parliamentarians during the month of March. Indian writers’ delegation is expected in Pakistan by the end of next month”.

In response to a question, he said: “The unalterable truth is that the two countries can’t, and won’t, go to war. They can only delay —- not stop —- the final step of starting negotiations and normalization of relations”.

He was of the view that India was not in a position to subdue Pakistan and vice versa.