Democracies don’t fight – that’s the lesson Europeans learnt from the horrors of the World War II, and since then have assiduously worked to strengthen the democratic institutions. If that kind of realisation is going to underscore Pak-India bilateralism in the wake of recent unfavourable incidents along the dividing Line of Control in Kashmir, it appears to be a possibility.
Just a couple of days after accusing Pakistan of waging a proxy war in Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pakistan on its 68th Independence Day on Twitter.
It would be in the larger interest of regional peace that instead of engaging in a blame game, the two countries focus on resolving all issues through dialogue and work together to promote friendly and co-operative relations.
Late last month, foreign secretary Sujatha Singh and her Pakistan counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary spoke on the telephone for the first time, and agreed to meet in Islamabad.
Though there is a qualitative difference from the recent past, given the track record of Nawaz Sharif’s consistent approach towards relationship with India, New Delhi too appears to be willing to move forward.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited and hosted his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif at his May 26 swearing-in.
The Indian and Pakistan Prime Ministers met the following day for bilateral talks, where they instructed their foreign secretaries to communicate with each other. The two also exchanged gifts Modi handed Sharif a shawl for his mother, and the Pakistan leader sent a white sari for Modis mother.
The fact is that India has preferred to deal with democratic governments in Pakistan. Two of the significantly pro-Pakistan developments in Pak-India bilateralism, Simla Agreement and Vajpayee’s Lahore visit, took place during the democratic governments in Pakistan. During his election campaign he promised to revive the Pak-India peace process, which soared high during his second term. Atal Behari Vajpayee travelled to Lahore on the inaugural run of the Delhi-Lahore bus service and went up to the Minar-i-Pakistan firmly stamping the authenticity of the two-nation theory. But soon enough there was the Kargil skirmish, which Nawaz Sharif claimed was General Musharraf’s brainchild to discredit the democratic government and grab power. No wonder with Nawaz Sharif back at the helm, Mr Vajpayee’s successor looks forward to working with his government ‘to chart a new course and pursue a new destiny’ in the relations between the two countries.
A whole lot of contentious issues bedevil the India-Pak relationship, but they all are amenable to solutions. Their solutions being held hostage to the Kashmir dispute a move forward on this would certainly have a salutary effect on them. And for this to happen New Delhi has to play ball that is now squarely placed in its court.
Prime Minister Modi and Sharif”s exchange of pleasantries can not be merely a diplomatic formality given the fact they came amid special circumstances. Let both sides clothe their warm greetings with a practical follow-up by taking necessary steps to ease tension along the Line of Control thus paving the way for resolving long pending issues. like Kashmir.
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