Knots in the tie?

Knots in the tie?

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh have vowed to open a new chapter in bilateral relationship.

In an hour-long meeting, prior to the opening of the 17th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), the two prime ministers predicted more constructive and result-oriented talks in the near future.

However, the Indian side has made it clear to the Pakistani side that unless there is some action against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaatud Dawa, it wouldn’t be possible for the two nations to move forward together.

“The discussions between the two countries had yielded positive results, but more needed to be done,” Manmohan Singh said.

While Prime Minister Gilani added: “The next round of talks will be more positive, more constructive and will open a new chapter in the history of both countries.”

Despite the public willingness to open a ‘new chapter’ in ties, are the talks at the Saarc Summit once again mere lip service?

Will they, like previous efforts, fail in resuming a proper dialogue?

More importantly, is the crackdown on Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaatud Dawa the only obstacle in Pak-India ties?

 

Dawn.com invites its readers to give their views and suggestions.

 

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87 Responses to “Knots in the tie?”

  1. Its indeed optimistic to come forward by the both country. After Mumbai attack the dialogue process was suffering. But here I want to ask both head of state when the Kashmir issue would resolve?I personally think even everyone appreciate it that Kashmir issue is a deadlock between India and Pakistan.

  2. S Nair says:

    MFN comes at a great time. I would want Tata and Mahindra and Dabur and Vicco and Videocon, Wipro Infosys, TCS and all Indian cos to begin manufacturing facilties/ operations in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Muzzafarabad etc…
    Pakistan should have at least Rs 50,000 crore trade with India and India should have at least USD 10 billion trade with Pakistan from Power projects to Mining…Pakistani cos- epecially in Energy can be Billion Dollar businesses in India.
    The power of trade is un imaginable. No Nuclear detterent is needed. Losing a 50,000 crore business and with it livelihoods and industrial base and economy of an entire region is detterent enough. Moreover trade will do something un imaginable – engage people in an economic activity. That in itself is the final solution. When boys and men on the street find employment and smell cash and get a good life… a lot of resentment vanishes forever….

    Trade zindabad….business zindabad

    • M K Vasu says:

      Mr Nair,

      There is little scope for improved bilateral relation between two unless and until the civilian (democratically elected ) government in Pakistan regains its lost supremacy over its Military since the demise of Md Jinnah, in its national and foreign related policies .

      • Karthik says:

        The civilian government is a reflection of the people of Pakistan. No doubt there are moderates in pakistan. But if you notice, they remain quiet when people throw rose petals for murderers. That simply means they are scared of what would happen to them or they are confused. And that simply means extremists rule in pakistan because extremists are clear in what they want. But the moderates are not clear on what they want.

        Well, it is difficult for this country to come back. Because it cannot split religion from administration. If there are parts of religion that interfere with administration, then as a modern nation it should not pay heed to those parts. But that can hardly happen in an islamic country because Islam is considered to be the ultimate and the most peaceful compared to others. No one points to the negative side. I mean No One! No one questions how it can be so fault free. Because you are supposed to believe and not question. Even if you question you are expected to finally believe!

        All they end up doing is going back to same book again and again and not letting them think for themselves, their neighbors and humanity. They serve the book and not themselves….

        I am ready for some clarification though… but this is the impression I get from people who comment here about bringing pakistan back but still go back to stating how great islam is!

  3. subramanian says:

    If one were to assess the global scenario dispassionately one will realise the strength that India and Pakistan have together.
    It is the time when the percapita income in the developed world is at its highest while it is the lowest in the developing world’ The developed nations cannot afford their own labour cost.
    India and Pakistan are spending most of their funds in military preparedness than on economic development’ Together the nations have the ability and strength to dominate the world.
    Intellectually the two countries have the best of talents and it is the natives of these countries who are providing the labour as well as the intellectual resource to the developed nations.
    It is ridiculous to ignore these facts and any effort at proclaiming one’s innocence is not going to benefit the citizens of the two countries.
    Posterity in the form of our own children will curse us for not appreciating this opportunity

  4. sundar says:

    The comments and counter comments here is laughable. The very first one starts off with great civility. As you read down, it degenerates into Indian terrorists and Pakistan terrorists ! In a practical sense, there is no need for India and Pakistan to extend hand of friendship, open their hearts etc. etc. It will be much more economical for both countries to ignore each other. After all, the old goats from pre-partition and partition time are almost all gone for nostalgia to be a factor. I recommend build a 10 ft wide, 50 feet tall wall at the border between India & Pakistan. Give all those who prefer to live on one side or the other side of the wall a one way ticket. Give this choice for, say, 5 years. After that, CLOSE THE GATE for good. Anything that comes across the wall (on either side), even a crow, shoot to kill. Wait for 100 years and then discuss whether the wall should be brought down. Simple and cheap.

  5. Mithun Raj says:

    I cannot understand the viewpoint from friends in pakistan, which say things like ‘a relationship should be build in equal footing’, ‘India cannot dictate pakistan’, India also have terror groups’ etc..These points are too childish. How can one justify Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaatud Dawa? These people came to indian soil killed our people. Indian goverment and US has provided enough evidence to Pakistan goverment in this regard. Yes there were Hindu terrorists involved in Samjhauta express blasts, but that fact was found by Indian investigation agencies, investigations are on the process and the guilty will be punished. But name with proof, an Indian or an Indian organisation who/which came to pakistani soil, killed the citizens and is in hiding in India. India cannot support any non-state actors just because they may be usefull aganist Pakistan. But pakistan government have to prove this yet. and there starts a relation.

  6. if we are to move forward the citizens of pakistan must be educated as to the past. sure wish pakistan former leaders did not start their new country on the basis of hate. jinnah pushed for a new country for his muslim majority and died a year later. anything formed on the basis of hate can never succeed. i am honored to read gilanis very mature statement to move forward the resolution for the peace. pakistan is seen with much negativity the world over, its citizens live in dire poverty and is thought to hate. very wrong. i hope god give the young leaders the insight to recognise india was always and remain a great democracy. i sure wish this new approach brings fruition for the poor pakistani people. the leaders of pakistan must understand india was never their enemy but the leaders themselves. good luck guys. zia and bhutto the darkest days in paks history

  7. Pankaj Patel(USA) says:

    Let us understand one thing that civilian gov in Pakistan is incapable of cracking down on these groups so forget it. India should instead emphasis on changing hate based textbooks,these is where problems come from, for Pakistan as well as India.As long as these organizations are there attacks on India are inevitable so take steps to prevent it the way Israel has done.Changing hate based culture is more important then these groups who we all know will eventually turn against the state of Pakistan.

  8. Antanu g says:

    Its the people of both the nations who could deliver the change.Hawks are active on both sides of the border and must be neutralized to move forward. As a bigger and stronger country onus is more on India to accommodate Pakistan. We must forget the past and once the people of Pakistan are convinced that India has no longer harbor any enmity towards the…there is no reason they would not reciprocate. Pakistan is facing internal and pressure due to their own follies.However they are in no position anymore to to act irresponsibly towards its larger neighbor. An offer from India to help Pakistan at this juncture would only make it more amenable.

  9. Radhika says:

    Educate people. Education removes all narrow mindedness. WE NEED TO COOPERATE AND COEXIST. When a family cooperate the standard of family improves when different states in country cooperate country prospers. When all countries in world cooperate world is a peaceful place and liveable. World improves.

  10. Anoop says:

    Dear brothers of Pakistan and India,

    First of all let us not spead hate. We should not teach children to hate people based on religion and country. I believe this is the very root of rivalry between Pakistan and India. Also we should discuss in public and teach and inspire their children to explore about the commonalities, the freedom strugle, culture, food, costumes etc. After all we are all one. Till independence we fought for the same cause, we had the same national spirit. For religious reasons we seperated and we are still seperated based on this idea of religion. People highlight some bad incidets in the other country and always look for something fishy in the other. When you look for bad you will find more of that. If you look for good, you will find out that too in plenty. When you point a finger to another, remember that three other fingers are pointing towards you.
    Thre are lots of benifits in unity.People of diverse culture and religion can live together. It is in accepting, acknowleding and respecting the differences in others we become mature and evolved in our character. This is true for personal relationships and relationships across nations. We should all work to end religious extremism. We should watch our own thoughts and actions to ensure that being humane and impartial should be upheld above our beliefs and faith in religion. We should have trust in nonviolence and love. If every body pledge for this inspite of negative experiences then the world has to change according to the thought of majority of people in some day. I believe there are more reasons to become friends than for being enemies. Let us contribute through our positive thoughts, words and actions. Let us be the change. I love Pakistan as much as I love India. I believe that Love for humanity is unconditional love and hence is the highest form of love expressed.

  11. mehmoona says:

    what i fear is, that ,its going to be as simple that.
    Going to after jamaat i daawa and lashkar i tayyaba will be the end of their demands and the start of a great relationship , these are the first conditions being imposed on us there will be numerous others to follow.
    .relationship between nations are never positive when one country demands and the other gives in,
    it is about we give up this and you give up that….from the current stand point it seems india will be dictating and we acquiescing .
    pakistan has enough masters and dictators what we need with india is a relationship on equal footing , if india accepts a relationship on equal footing we will offer our hand of friendship….if not then they can find some other nation to boss not pakistan

    • Karthik says:

      Mehmoona,
      I never get promoted without proving my worthiness.
      Similarly, equal footing for everyone is a joke. You must work hard, educate yourself and make a name for yourself in this world in the right areas. And then countries will flock to you with equal footing. Looks like you don’t know your position.

      Infact, Pakistan would do well to use this hand from India and build on it. You should know where you stand in this world, only then will you move forward. if you don;t know where you are, you won;t know where to go to reach your destination.

  12. amit says:

    I think its better to look at reality n stop living in fool’s paradise.
    When world is going for peace, prosperity n growth, it is not advicable to concentrate on petty matters at the cost of more important matters. Its better to look where our policies are taking us.
    Please remember you have to have take the responsibilities of your actions, actions which are obviously by choice only.

  13. SS says:

    India and pakistan cant find permanant peace until Pak Army, all main Imams of Pakistan , all representatives of anti India Terrorists group , Indian Government with opposition (Congress, BJP, RSS) , Pakistani government sit together and find a solution.

    This process will take time but all the parties will be on board and solution will be agreeable to all. Until this happens fringe groups will always cause trouble.

    • mehmoona says:

      what a lovely impartial opinion
      you talk as if india doesnt have terrorist groups, or for the matter hindu extremists , anti pakistan groups or for the matter an army occupation of a civilian territory …..come on work has to be done on both sides ,,not just pakistan…once you accept that we can move ahead towards peace

      • Raj says:

        Indian trouble makers do not make trouble inside Pakistan. When did the Indian terrorists go about shooting people in the Lahore train station?

        Yes, like it or not, Hindu extremists are our internal problem.

        • s kumar says:

          i find word hindu extremist offensive . Since any one involved in killing unarmed and innocent is not a hindu. U can call him a butcher. There is no bravery in kiiling unarmed and innocents as happens in terrorist attacks. The terrorists are not even worthy of being called man .If they are men not woman they can face the Noble indian army straight .and find their resting place.

  14. Thinker says:

    If crackdown is needed both sides should do it. Many extremist groups should be cracked down in India like Shiv Sena, Hindutva, RSS, VHP and their off shoots including VHP America, Bajrang Dal, Durga Vahini, Hindutva Unity, Hindutva Brotherhood, Soldiers of Hindutva, Saffron Tigers, Hindu Jagran Manch, Hindu Student Council of America, American Hindus against Defamation (AHAD) and Savarkar Darshan. Many of these have been allegedly involved in Mumbai blasts which is solely blamed on Pakistan without solid evidences and some are also allegedly involved in terrorist activities Pakistan under proxy name of TTP, LeT and others.
    Yes it is totally fair then if a parallel move is initiated crackdown in both the neighbouring countries would show sincerity in future relationship and would generate immediate positive results.

    • anil says:

      I think you have made up many names , except a few . They are radicals ,extremists ,but don’t attack any other country .

    • Viswanathan Raghu says:

      Shiv sena, RSS etc have radical views but they do not kill Pakistanis or carry out attacks in Pakistan. They operate within the freedoms allowed in Indian democracy.

      • mehmoona says:

        does those freedoms entitle them to take human lives…..what about ahmedabad what about samjhota express..
        the first step towards peace is an open mind not a closed one

        • Murali says:

          u r too emotion dear!

        • mehmoona says:

          not to forget kashmir

          • Karthik says:

            Common mehmoona,
            You are everywhere!
            Tell me why is it that no Indian crosses border to bomb Pakistan’s innocent citizens?

            Again don’t run away and jump to another topic. Stick to the topic when you debate.

          • JP says:

            Hi mehmoona
            what about kashmir?
            please elaborate, i was born in that state? I want to know what do u want?
            JP Singh

          • s kumar says:

            sorry to correct but no one is qualified enough here to talk about kashmir solution. It is a political blunder of leaders of that time responsible for generating such a complex problem. Any one who can find a pragmatic solution not hypothetical keeping in view all stakeholders would be called a genius.

  15. Sundeep says:

    Banning JUD and LET is not the complete answer. Such organizations feed on hatred. One banned will spring up in another form.

    World needs more peace and people need the basics. World is growing increasingly prosperous so why should some live in another world of hate, poverty and crime. Purpose of living is to maximize peace and happiness. We all one day will die, let us live the very brief life given to us by God in living happily, and keeping happiness and peace with all. Nobody is a born pakistani or Indian. These are all tags created by us through political boundaries. We all have same aspiration and hope.

    It is the message of oneness that has to be spread then all differences will appear an illusion and creation of mind. I think work at spiritual level is important rather than just customary political statements.

    Regards

  16. ANUJ says:

    It is not limited to the LET and JUD crackdown. The pakistani state has engendered dislike and even hate, for the neighbouring India through systematic indoctrination in education. many pakistanis recognise this, but in a debate, even they fly off the handle at the “enemy of pakistan”.

    Till Pakistan stops thinking of India as the Othre, or The Enemy mentally this ain’t going anywhere. The initial JUD banning will meet with a backlash from nationalistic Pakistanis and religious zealots, and privately this resistance to ban will be applauded in drawing rooms across Pakistan as they shall have this endemic issue of the Other. i have enough pakistani friends and know enough Pakistanis to know the National Psyche if I may call it that !

  17. amit says:

    It looks like pakistan has solves their basic problems, problem of poverty, industrial growth, employment and common men security n well being issue or it may be other way around that kashmir is the key of all these problems, once they will have kashmir then their all the problems vanish automatically.
    They are not able to utilize whatever resources and land they have to make life better for common men.
    Now is the time they must realize they should use their energy for positive causes and not for negative causes.
    Matter of fact kashmir is more of ego issue and once it will be irrelevant it will solve by its own.
    So concentrate on love, peace, positivity n betterment as hate is self destructive which is very well evident.

    • Uzair says:

      The all you have advised to do for Pakistan and Pakistanis are also for India and you Indians, you cannot clap with single hand.

  18. A R Qazi says:

    India is not a country of angels, they are equally responsible of the situation currently both countries are facing, in order to remove extremism both counrtries need to play there role sincerely. There shouldn’t be any problem that results in the evolution of extremist organizations, Kashmir should be made independant, let them decide about there own future, both india and Pak are not capable of ruling Kashmir, both countries have lots of basic problems that need to be sorted out first like poverty, corruption, literacy, energy etc. Etc.

  19. Fahad says:

    As usual the question is biased but good.
    Is such organization are only in Pakistan? If in both countries why not discussing to both?? Is there no role of India in Pakistan from western border and balochistan??
    Main obstacle is zero trust and this is not the thing to cover in night.
    Intra region trade is the need of time but peace and ideology should be secured.

  20. Furqan says:

    Its a time when both countries should set together and should establish relations of mutual interest and mutual respect. Pakistan fighting with energy crises can take more from emerging economy rather than India. We should keep the political issues away from the common masses and let the common masses to do their business.

  21. Sanjay says:

    As long as public sentiment and media continue to spew hatred against each other, no matter what steps either country takes, relationship cannot improve. In Pakistan, whether the common man cares about Kashmir or not, politicians will keep it active as that is a easy deviating topic. Same in India. For every terrorist attack it would be easy to blame Pak and wash off their hands. These agencies do not have a long term vision for the region. Both countries/politicians/media should take a public vow that they will not bad mouth each other in public.

    • Althaf Ahmed says:

      There are real events that dictate the relations between India and Pakistan. Just when the politicians were talking peace, Kargil took place. Just when the new civilian government began to reach out, Mumbai took place. They were real events – they weren’t imagined by the media. A blanket condemnation of all the politicians and media is totally wrong.

      • Nivit Kumar Yadav says:

        Good reply Ahmed

        But I believe both side need some kind of extreme steps to strengthen mutual trust.

        I am a firm believer of increasing trade between both the countries. Once common man in both countries starts benefiting from trade, mutual trust will surely grow.

  22. shekar says:

    Our PM, he has no idea of what he is getting us into:(

  23. Asad says:

    I am a Pakistani and I say get rid of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaatud Dawa and any other militant group while we are at it.

  24. vijay says:

    India should not demand a crackdown as a precondition. LeT and JuD are fed on a hate that will be undermined not by crackdown but by reconciliation. A Pakistan-India reconciliation process will undermine these extremist organizations much more effectively than a crackdown.

    • Althaf Ahmed says:

      The hate is fed through textbooks and historical distortion. Reconciliation will help but it will not change the underlying source of the problem. There isn’t much that India can do. Pakistan “owns” the problem and it can only be “fixed” by Pakistan.

      • Nelaish says:

        @Althaf well said bro….but as a big brother we hav 2 play our part inteligently..we hav to b wd minority +ve thinkrs on tht side of border as tht s the only hope.trade ll surely gona increase trust betwn us. the only way to change mind set is Gandhi-giri as Churchilgiri to hmm kabhi b dekha sakte hain aur hmm dekha b chuke hain..;) u knw wt i love Charchil 4 his passionate love towrds his motherland…bt ths s 21st century yahan Jang ho ya Dil ab Tank se nai Trade se jitee jate hain dost…

  25. Amit-Atlanta-USA says:

    Until & unless, unless both countries are prepared to move beyond mere declarations of goodwill, to VERIFIABLE actions to show their sincerity, the current bonhomie may only be a whiff of fresh air, which is not bound to last long!

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