Mani Shankar Aiyar praised the hospitality of the neighboring country and said, Pakistanis are India’s biggest asset.

New Delhi: Amid speculation over election fate in Pakistan, major political parties find themselves locked in a tense battle as the country awaits the general election results. With uncertainty looming over the emergence of a new Prime Minister, concerns have grown about the country’s ability to address ongoing economic and political challenges and restore stability to the nation. At such a time, former Indian diplomat and politician, Mani Shankar Aiyar expressed a unique perspective on relations between India and Pakistan, considering the people of Pakistan as India’s “biggest asset” within the country, Dawn reported.

Speaking during a session titled “Hijr ki Rakh, Visal ke Phool” on India-Pak affairs at the Faiz Festival held in Alhamra, Iyer emphasized the tendency of Pakistanis to mirror the behavior of their Indian counterparts, often in a very open manner. He said Pakistanis often react with extreme friendliness or hostility depending on India’s actions.

“From my experience, Pakistanis are people who perhaps overreact to the other side. If we are friendly, they are extremely friendly and if we are hostile, they become hostile,” Dawn quoted Iyer as saying.

Reflecting on his experiences, Iyer recalled being warmly welcomed in Pakistan, especially during his tenure as Consul General in Karachi. He cited several examples of hospitality and cordiality, which he recorded in his book “Memoirs of a Maverick”, which revealed a side of Pakistan contrary to Indian perceptions.

Aiyar stressed the importance of goodwill between the two countries and regretted the decline in relations in the last decade since PM Narendra Modi’s first government came to power.

“There was a need for goodwill but during the last 10 years since the formation of the first Narendra Modi government, instead of goodwill, the opposite has happened,” Dawn quoted Iyer as saying.

He said, “I just want to tell the people (of Pakistan) that they should remember that Modi has never got more than one-third of the votes, but our system is such that if he has one-third of the votes, They have two-thirds of the seats. That’s why two-thirds of Indians are ready to come to your side (Pakistanis),” the report quoted him as saying.

Citing his friend and Indian envoy Satinder Kumar Lamba, who is involved in back-channel diplomacy, Aiyar highlighted the consensus among diplomats that dialogue with Pakistan is necessary despite political differences.

“There were five Indian High Commissioners in Islamabad in the Congress government and the BJP government and they were all unanimous that whatever our differences, we should engage with Pakistan and the biggest mistake we have made in the last 10 years is denying dialogue . Dawn quoted Iyer as saying, “We have the courage to conduct surgical strikes against you but do not have the courage to sit at the table and talk.”