Privately, many in the government lament that they are helpless in handling Indo-Pak relations as it is exclusively a domain dominated by the military. The military is an important player in Pakistan’s politics and General Raheel Sharif is currently the most popular Pakistani but the military will not carry out a coup d’etat if the PM or the Foreign Affairs Adviser makes a telephone call to their respective counterparts. In fact, it could even be done in consultation with the military.
The military reacts when the Indians are given a red carpet treatment by the civilian rulers. Can you imagine the bonhomie in Pakistan if the Indian PM suddenly decides to visit Pakistan? It will appear as if Pakistan’s best friend is descending on the country. The rulers, along with a section of the Track II enthusiasts who all are presently silent but of course waiting for the next invitation, will have amnesia about all the events that have taken place since the Sept 18 Uri attack and what the Indian forces have been doing to the Kashmiris since the killing of Burhan Wani.
This is definitely an over-kill and something which the military cannot tolerate. The military is trained to fight the Indians; it hopefully will have no qualms if peace is achieved. But peace must be attained on equal terms; peace can literally be achieved within seconds if Pakistan agrees to making the LoC a permanent international border. However, it will not be just and fair not only to the people of Kashmir but also the Pakistanis, including the military.
The civilians must keep the line of communication open with their counterparts in India but in consultation with the military. The dignity of the nation must be maintained at all times in such interactions. This is not as difficult as it may sound but it may mean that you need not take the Indian PM to meet your mother at your house as if your childhood buddy is visiting you after a long gap. Such consultations may also solve another important dilemma of the civilian rulers which they keep complaining about all the time: they make peace overtures and then a Bombay attack or a Pathankot airbase attack takes place.
India and Pakistan have a lot in common culturally, politically and socially; it has a huge Muslim population many of whom are related to the Pakistanis. Despite this however, the two countries cannot be buddies until and unless the Kashmir imbroglio is resolved.
Indians keep wondering that why the terrorist incidents take place when they make a peace overture, like PM Modi visiting PM Nawaz Sharif on his birthday late last year or Vajpayee visiting Lahore. Peace is possible but after resolution of the Kashmir issue. How can Pakistan profess to have friendly relations with India when civilians in Indian occupied Kashmir are shot with pellet guns, or even shot dead, for raising slogans or throwing stones or carrying a coffin wrapped in Pakistan’s flag?
We can have diplomatic relations, which we must, but not satisfactory relations despite being neighbors till the Kashmir dispute is resolved to the satisfaction of the Kashmiris. Critics may say that how could we have talks to reach a settlement until we are friendly. Nobody opposes talks but they should be held within dignity and within certain perimeters. If this is not done, then we will continue to move in circles which we have been doing since the early nineties.
PM Sharif accused Benazir Bhutto of flirting with Rajiv Gandhi during her first stint as PM in the late eighties but one of the first things that he did after assuming power in Nov 1990 was to open talks with India. The talks continued for years both during Nawaz Sharif’s two periods in power in the decade and during Benazir’s second tenure. However, the two nations could not achieve anything during the whole decade. It is worth pondering as to why the talks failed. Talks must be held but with a lot of homework done and groundwork must be done prior to holding them. Otherwise, we all should be prepared to continue to move in circles during the coming decades which will be a tragedy.
The Last Stop 