By Syed Qamar.
Extrinsically and symbolically the meeting– between the two premiers- India’s Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Ufa (Russia)– gives the impression that a thaw seems to have begun in their relationship; yet shown from the quantum of misunderstanding, ill faith and skepticism between them, it rightly validates the truth that much ado is required to dispel the fog of ‘ mistrust’ between the two South Asian governments.
The language of the communique reflects on a unilaterally charged Indian perceptivity in terms of the Mumbai attacks, accompanied by a package of soft CBMs to be carried out between the two states; yet officially there has been no mentioning of Pakistan’s prompt concerns about the settlement of the core issue of Kashmir, and India’s nasty-involvement in making terrorism inside Pakistan via RAW’s network. It is in this backdrop that the public opinion in Pakistan has no positive impression about the way the draft of the communique was finalized between the two sides.
Though it goes without saying that it has been because of a joint diplomatic back-up from both Russia and China that this meeting between the two South Asian leaderships was managed in Ufa. Seen both objectively and pragmatically, this development seems a ‘quasi -peace venture’.The resumption of a ‘comprehensive bilateral dialogue’ on the foreign secretaries level, must be the future focus of the two governments.
The Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s pledge– that he would be coming in Pakistan to participate in the SAARC-2016 summit in Islamabad– is seen as a good omen since that occasion, after a decade, would rightly provide the chance for the two governments-India and Pakistan to streamline the scope of their bilateral relations. Yet during this period or an interlude of more than a year, there is ample time that the policy mangers of the two sides, must take some important decisions regarding confidence building measures(CBMs) , particularly reducing the tensions along the line of control(LOC).
By all fair deliberations, the Ufa meeting provides both India and Pakistan the twin aspects of ‘challenge and opportunity’ for performing the shared role of ‘collective responsibilities’ in developing an atmosphere of peace, goodwill and understanding . As for India, New Delhi has to understand the fact that its fossilized thinking on the Kashmir issue needs to be revamped, keeping in view the ‘regional and international sensitivities and dimensions’ of the Kashmir view. Therefore, the Indian policy in the Indian held Kashmir(IHK), should no more be displaying a ‘hedonist and tyrannical approach’ .And most significantly,the Indian ‘orchestrated policy of crisis management’–a devious policy doctrine towards Pakistan— hibernating the ‘Kashmir issue or suppressing the cause of the Kashmir freedom’, must no longer be advocated or adopted.
By becoming the member of the SCO, the Indian government has to demonstrate a role of a responsible state that honours the international conventions on Human Rights, and promotes a climate of healthy and positive relations with its neighbours.The Indian government must jettison its old policy of ‘unilateralism’ advocating devious trajectories of ‘proxy-wars and meddling into the internal affairs of other states’.
And while as an emerging and developing economy, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the Indian government should no more foster the policies of ‘economic and political fundamentalism backed by its designs of territorial hegemony’. India needs to adopt a ‘coherent regional policy’ of expanding its trade relations with its neigbours. .
As for Pakistan, Islamabad has to rightly understand that by joining the SCO, it has to impart a stronger role of grave responsibilities and shared contributions regarding the maintenance of ‘regional peace and security’.
Both India and Pakistan must avail themselves of this opportunity of ‘mending their fences’, via the SCO forum. There is no doubt that the task of building trust between the two South Asian communities- India and Pakistan, requires a perpetual process of ‘diplomatic gradualism’ respectively supported by the ‘civil and military establishments’ in those states. The two states’ decades old feelings of acrimony, apathy, suspicion and insecurity– overwhelmed by the ‘defence and security doctrines’– can’t be ended in a year or so. But with the supportive diplomatic role from China and Russia, it is hoped that this task of healing the ‘syndrome of mistrust’ between the two governments, may candidly be facilitated.
On the other hand,the utility of ‘cricket diplomacy’-cum-people diplomacy, must be the policy shrines of providing ‘social discourse’ between the two states. Promotion of cultural, religious and tourism activities, can also be the ‘correct contrivances’ to rebuild an atmosphere of congenial understanding between the two sides. Both India and Pakistan must reasonably focus their future talks on the ‘fair distribution of water’ and the mutual management of the threat coming from the ‘nuclear waste-radiation’-a scowling danger to the climate health of the South Asian region.
Has not the time come that in this era of emerging ‘cosmopolitanism’, the two South Asian leaderships must review the ‘cost and benefit analysis of the ‘chronic rift’ between them by realizing the very fact that the South Asian citizenry is paying a huge cost– against this simmering Kashmir dispute between the two nations–via conventional and ‘nuclear arms race’– thereby severely compromising the quality of life- a life free from disease, poverty and illiteracy, the dream of millions and millions of the people living in this continent?
