Long way to peace

[bhangi bava]

As with much in the Pakistan-India relationship, even the welcome news is often accompanied by bad news. On Friday, the Indian government announced that Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar will be dispatched to Saarc countries, with the focus inevitably being on speculation that the foreign secretary-level talks cancelled by India last August are now back on track.

Then, yesterday, another round of violence along the Line of Control resulted in the death of a Pakistani sexagenarian in firing by Indian border forces.

The up-and-down nature of mere expectations that India and Pakistan will begin to approach the idea of talks again indicates just how far from the path to normalization the two countries have strayed.

As ever, there are two sides to the story. In the current Nawaz Sharif-Narendra Modi era, a great deal of responsibility for the impasse must be borne by the Indian side.

Seemingly determined to take a tough, almost belligerent, line with Pakistan, the Modi government appears to have been in denial of a basic reality of the Pak-India relationship — as frustrating as it is for both sides to deal with each other, deal with each other they must.

The decision to call off talks last August was a particularly petulant one, given that the Pakistan high commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, did nothing unusual — in fact, it was fairly routine — in meeting the leadership of the Hurriyat Conference.

Moreover, the simmering tensions along the Line of Control and Working Boundary for much of the last year can be largely explained by the Indian government adopting an explicitly disproportionate approach in responding to any trouble in the area.

Even now, the imminent visit of Mr Jaishankar is being cast by the Indian government as a so-called Saarc yatra — indicating that India is not keen on doing anything more than the bare minimum. If it is true that US President Barack Obama nudged Prime Minister Modi to reach out to Pakistan, it seems Mr Modi is sending a message that he is neither very keen on it nor very hopeful.

For all the problems on the Indian side, however, there is another basic reality too: Pakistan has simply not done enough to engage India on the matters that are of concern to it.

Two big issues stand out: failure to get anywhere near a closure on the Mumbai-related trials here and shelving the Non-Discriminatory Market Access deal with the previous Congress government. Surely, for all of India’s sullenness and petulance, it is Pakistan’s inability to approach the Pak-India equation in a cooperative manner that is undermining the prospects of a return to dialogue.

India has legitimate security concerns regarding Pakistan, as does Pakistan with India, but it is unreasonable on the part of the Pakistani state to not even do the basic things that could help pave the way for a meaningful resumption of dialogue.

Long way to peace - Newspaper - DAWN.COM

@levina @SarthakGanguly @SpArK @Horus @Oscar @Norwegian & others

 

[WAJsal]

First thing that needs to be done this instance is resolve firing at borders,its not good to see innocent people getting targeted.Secondly both the parties need to hear the other side and really aim for ever lasting peace.

 

[bhangi bava]

First thing that needs to be done this instance is resolve firing at borders,its not good to see innocent people getting targeted.Secondly both the parties need to hear the other side and really aim for ever lasting peace.

India has already made the move the onus is on Pakistan to reciprocate

 

[WAJsal]

India has already made the move the onus is on Pakistan to reciprocate

And who next to forced India to make that move,nonetheless it's been made and we should hope for the best.

India has already made the move the onus is on Pakistan to reciprocate

And who next to forced India to make that move,nonetheless it's been made and we should hope for the best.

 

[MohitV]

First thing that needs to be done this instance is resolve firing at borders,its not good to see innocent people getting targeted.Secondly both the parties need to hear the other side and really aim for ever lasting peace.

both india and pakistan should seal the border and forget about the K issue for atleast 100 yrs.....should focus more in the development of each other's kashmir....and after these 100 yrs...a referendum should be organised, monitored by the UN....jus like wat happened in scotland...people will choose the side which has served them better in these 100 yrs.

 

[WAJsal]

both india and pakistan should seal the border and forget about the K issue for atleast 100 yrs.....should focus more in the development of each other's kashmir....and after these 100 yrs...a referendum should be organised, monitored by the UN....jus like wat happened in scotland...people will choose the side which has served them better in these 100 yrs.

Finally,good to see an Indian who is ok with a referendum.

 

[MohitV]

Finally,good to see an Indian who is ok with a referendum.

the current trend is neither helping you nor us......its better to seal the border and forget about the issue for some time ....develop the region...serve the people......then go for the referendum.........

 

[ito]

Finally,good to see an Indian who is ok with a referendum.

Majority of Indians will not support any referendum anywhere in India that include J&K

 

[WAJsal]

Majority of Indians will not support any referendum anywhere in India that include J&K

I don't think that's the case.

the current trend is neither helping you nor us......its better to seal the border and forget about the issue for some time ....develop the region...serve the people......then go for the referendum.........

The truth has been spoken.

 

[ito]

I don't think that's the case.

The truth has been spoken.

It is the case. Would you agree for a referendum in any part of Pakistan?

 

[WAJsal]

It is the case. Would you agree for a referendum in any part of Pakistan?

As long as it's justified,you can't just have referendum just for the sake of it,if the people are protesting against the state and there is a demand of referendum,why not.I don't something like that ever happening.

 

[ito]

As long as it's justified,you can't just have referendum just for the sake of it,if the people are protesting against the state and there is a demand of referendum,why not.I don't something like that ever happening.

Would you support a referendum in Tibet? In Tibet, a majority of the Tibetans are driven out of Tibet and are living lives of refugees in other countries. Mean while Kashmiris are living on their own land and enjoying government support.

Nation states don't operate on referendums. They operate as a unified states. If referendums are a norm, world will have 1000000 countries.

 

[MohitV]

The truth has been spoken.

from 11th -13th century...1000s of scots died ....to achieve independence from england...but all in vain......after that scotland remained as a vessel state of England ....gradualy became dependent on England economicaly, politically and militarily ...and in 1707(acts of union) scotland became a part of british empire and hence a part of its flourishing economy and power.......

so when referendum was done in 2014....majority of scotland chose to stay with England........even though many died for its independence centuries back.....see this is how development works....in the end if u will move forward with an emotional approach and not with a developmental approach...then u will suffer

 

[WAJsal]

Would you support a referendum in Tibet?

My support will have no impact on whether it will happen or not.

Nation states don't operate on referendums. They operate as a unified states. If referendums are a norm, world will have 1000000 countries.

As i said there should be a proper reason(Scotland for instance they had reason).

 

[SarthakGanguly]

a referendum should be organised, monitored by the UN....jus like wat happened in scotland...people will choose the side which has served them better in these 100 yrs.

It should also be held in Hyderabad city, in Lucknow's Muslim areas, Old Delhi, parts of North Kerala, - in short anywhere that is currently having a Mohammedan majority.