LONDON — Speculation has been building up on the Subcontinent that dialogue between India and Pakistan is about to restart. Last month Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that if Pakistan showed "sincerity and good faith," India "will not be found wanting in its response."
Appealing to the government of Pakistan, Singh said "the hand of friendship that we have extended should be carried forward. This is in the interest of people of India and Pakistan."
Singh stressed that terrorists "want permanent enmity to prevail between the two countries," but avoided mention of both the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008 and the continuing militancy in Kashmir. Later, at a press conference, Singh clarified that New Delhi's demand that Islamabad put terror groups under "effective control" was "not a precondition" for resumption of India-Pakistan talks, but a "practical" way forward because "we are a democracy and if day in and day out terrorist attacks continue to take precious lives of our citizens, we cannot create a mahaul (atmosphere) for meaningful negotiations."