Hope for Progress in India-Pakistan Talks
However, when will it be seen that it is not words but intentions that matter? Is India willing to demonstrate that it believes in a stable Pakistan? The secretary-level talks would have been an excellent opportunity for Indians to have demonstrated that we mean what we say. For India, a democratic, and economically and politically stable Pakistan which is secure in its own identity and confident about its security is the best neighbor.
Even after two years in the saddle, the civilian government in Pakistan is weak and often takes two steps backward before it takes one step forward. However, the civilian government has done more towards tackling the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan than any previous regime. The seven accused in the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008 have not yet been indicted, but that has more to do with domestic politics than any reluctance on the part of the administration.
If we pause to consider how deep is the mistrust between Indian and Pakistani security and intelligence establishments, maybe we will realize that the best way to tackle the issue is to talk more with Pakistan, not break off ties. Perhaps the joint intelligence mechanism which was set up in 2006-2007 needs to be given an opportunity to work. Taking up Lt. General Pasha’s — the current Pakistani intelligence chief — offer to talk might be a good idea, as would accepting Premier Gilani’s recent comments that Pakistan would be willing to share intelligence with India.
The hawks in India will definitely disagree, but as the older democracy in the region, India should be more accepting. Analysts have often compared India-Pakistan relations to U.S.-Canada relations and hoped for as good a relationship between the former as there is between the latter. Some Indian analysts assert that just as Canada has accepted that the U.S. is the dominant power in the continent, similarly, Pakistan must do the same. What they fail to point out is that for this to happen, the U.S. has by and large acted magnanimously with its neighbor and they share open borders.
Indians need to be realists, not hawks or idealists. Lighting candles at Wagah border is not going to solve our problems, but neither is blaming Pakistan for everything. Pakistani leaders also need to realize that blaming India for all domestic and security related issues will not solve Pakistan’s problems. Instead, by developing better ties with India, a lot of Pakistan’s economic and security-related issues will be resolved.
For the last few months, the Indian government has been claiming that a resumption of the composite dialogue would be a concession to Pakistan, and therefore unacceptable to the Indian public. Similarly, the Pakistani government hides behind the cloak of anti-India public opinion.
What we have to ask ourselves is if this really true. Do the Indian and Pakistani publics really prefer belligerence and jingoism over a chance for peace and prosperity on both sides of the India-Pakistan border? The growing cultural, economic, and technological ties between the two countries show that Indians and Pakistanis want to move beyond the legacy of mistrust. But will their governments help them in this process or hinder them? Leaders are meant to frame and lead public opinion, not hide behind it.
India has no designs on Pakistan. India could no more defeat and hold Pakistan than Pakistan could defeat and hold India. Pakistan itself can’t defeat and hold the tribal areas within Pakistan. What hope would India have?
Not that India doesn’t have contingency plans. I am sure that India has plans for attacking and holding Diego Garcia. But these plans cannot succeed in even the near long term and only a fool would execute them.
Pakistan and India could both benefit from closer economic ties just as both Israel and Palestine could benefit from closer cooperation. The reasons that this hasn’t happened are the same in both cases; a lack of trust and the use of this lack of trust by ruling elites to help maintain their power.
“Some Indian analysts assert that just as Canada has accepted that the U.S. is the dominant power in the continent, similarly, Pakistan must do the same.
Indians need to be realists, not hawks or idealists. Lighting candles at Wagah border is not going to solve our problems, but neither is blaming Pakistan for everything. Pakistani leaders also need to realize that blaming India for all domestic and security related issues will not solve Pakistan’s problems. Instead, by developing better ties with India, a lot of Pakistan’s economic and security-related issues will be resolved.”
India is not America.
And Pakistan is not Canada. Its hard even to type such a hilarious statement.. Comparing the most backward nation on earth with one of the most refined…
Why is this even on pajamasmedia?
The “typical White person” could care less about what the Indians or pakistanis think of each other,as long as they are kept in check and the nukes are under control. And rightly, justifiably so. This isnt an American issue.
Raj:
“Some Indian analysts assert that just as Canada has accepted that the U.S. is the dominant power in the continent, ….”
You don’t know Canadians. The USA-Canadian relationship flows much more as friendly equals who have shared interests. The two times in the past that the USA and Canada fought, we (USA) had our butts whipped. We have learned our lesson.
Pakistan/India, like Palestine/Israel are contending over access to limited water resources. If you want to solve the crisis, arrange for Pakistan to have secure access to water. A couple major aqueducts should do it.
“This isn’t an American issue.”
Why do you imagine the US has no commercial or security interests in either country?
“The two times in the past that the USA and Canada fought, we (USA) had our butts whipped.”
We have never fought the Canadians, we have fought the British, each time we won or fought to a draw. Since the Britiah gave up one retaking their lost colonies, I think we won overall.
Tom we beat the British in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. But in both wars US assaults against Canada were turned back. I was being tongue in cheek about getting our butts whipped but it is true that the Canucks held the field after each battle.
You don’t know Canadians. The USA-Canadian relationship flows much more as friendly equals who have shared interests. The two times in the past that the USA and Canada fought, we (USA) had our butts whipped. We have learned our lesson.
We can do the trust on the Pakistan Becoz so many this happen already.