President Asif Ali Zardari was one of the first few leaders to congratulate the Congress party on its election victory.
The president said he was looking forward to resuming dialogue with India. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani too congratulated Dr Manmohan Singh after his re-election and stressed the need for peacefully resolving all outstanding issues between the two countries.
Analysts believe Singh’s strengthened mandate after India’s general election frees his hand to better manage ties with Pakistan that have deteriorated since last year’s Mumbai attacks.
Last Wednesday India handed over fresh material evidence to Pakistan, which is being seen as a message to speed up the prosecution of the Mumbai attack plotters.
While there may not be any major peace moves, it is believed that the Indian prime minister could make a limited opening to Pakistan, which includes dropping a travel advisory and reviving people-to people contacts.
Pakistan’s fresh offensive against the Taliban in Swat is also being closely watched by its neighbor and its outcome is expected to affect any consideration of a peace move from the Indian side. Dawn.com invites readers to debate the Congress victory in India and how it augurs for Pakistan. Also, what steps are needed on both sides to revive dialogue and the stalled peace process.
Kumbhakaran65,
Not sure where you get your numbers from.
“1.5 million muslims killed” ?
Not sure if you have noticed the decline in percentage of Hindus in Pakistan and the increase in percentage terms of Muslims in India. Not the sort of thing that happens following a massacre of the proportions you mention.
Yes, Indian society (Hindu and Muslim) has a lot of ills that need to be fixed. No Indian is proud of these things. We will fix it through our democratic system, not through the temple priests.
But it’s funny that someone like you who wants a secular Pakistan only wants Indian celebrities who happen to be Muslim.
If that is your idea of diversity, have fun playing in the well thinking that’s the whole world.
This kind of thnking is many centuries behind times as Kemal Ataturk was ahead of his time.
TO all the Pakistanis who are saying that India has denied them their share of water.On Dawn News or Express 24/7 ,during the recent Indus water treaty negotiations,the chief Pakistani was quoted as saying that Pakistan did not recieve its fair share of water due to the lack of rainfall. The dams were not the cause.So lets not make a mountain out of a molehill
Here is some honest truth. Scratch any Indian, below the polite veneer, the image of Pakistan is a land of 70 million, madrasa-educated, feudal minded people. He is happy that such a huge mess is not part of India. India will not accept Pakistan even if Pakistan offers to merge with India. So banish the thought from your minds that India wants to reunite with Pakistan.
About our Moghul heritage, all I wanted to say has very eloquently been written by Aziz Mirza. All Indians, hindus or otherwise, are proud of our Moghul Heritage. Red Fort is ours, Taj Mahal is ours, Fatehpur SIkri is ours, Akbar-Shajahan-Aurangzeb is we, Mirza Ghalib is ours, Katthak and Ghazal is ours. Moghul empire is ours and we are immensely proud of it.
@Kumbhakaran: You say:
“..Pakistan needs M.J.Akbar, Shabana Azmi, Sania Mirza, M.F.Husain, Azim Premji, Abdul Kalam, A.R. Rehman, and Pataudi. We need the metal worker from Moradabad, the tanner from Vaniyambadi, the Mapilla fishermen from Kerala, the chikan tailor from Lucknow, the baker from Bombay, and the weaver from Calcutta….”.
Fine but if you take them you also will have to accept Indian ethos and secular outlook. Sania Mirza is comfortable wearing short skirts to which your mullahs will fume, My class friend M.J. Akbar has a hindu wife, Shabana Azmi personifies secular, non-religious Indian, Abdul kalam is a vegetarian and a scholar of hindu scripture Geeta and close to jain monks, A. R. Rehman — born Hindu, Pataudi, again married to Hindu film actress, Hussain– makes wonderful paintings of Hindu godesses — I am afraid your mullahs will issue fatwas to kill him. All these people could make hindu or hinduism part of their lives — I wonder what that will do to the preset Pakistani ethos?
The rest of the examples you gave is unfortunate — are muslims in India only artisans from verious parts of the country? You dont want our muslim singers, players, writers?
In my opinion, Indian politician mainly base their politics on showing enmity to Pakistan either it is BJP or Congress. But it is sure that culturally they are our brothers. India says Pakistan is part of India but being a Pakistani I say that India is part of Pakistan.
India means people living near Indus who are they? Pakistani or Indian!
Mumlikat-e-Khudadad Pakistan was not based on hatred of our brothers on the other side of border but it was based on very high ideals of Islam. Where love and prosperity will flourish and we will become a beacon of light for rest of the world for the guidance and light of Islam. Unluckily, we proved ourself weak and incapable. We are corrupt, we are ignorant, we are acting like enemies of Islam. We have damaged image of Islam, we have endangered life of our real brothers in islamic sence in Eurpoe, America and Eastern India because Pakistan is original and mainly western India by meaning.
We love Pakistn and Eastern Indian are our brother in cultural heritage..
Tahir v.’s comment is one of the most sensible and pragmatic ones I’ve heard from Pakistani in a long time. Both countries – and Pakistan in particular – need to stop being obsessed with the other and think selfishly about its own progress.
Both India and Pakistan spend a disproportionate percentage of their GNP on arming and maintaining military. In India’s case, its economy is large and sound enough to somewhat absorb this huge expenditure. However, Pakistan’s economy has historically been unable to sustain it. That is why essentials like infrastructure, education and allieviation of poverty are in a sorry state in that country.
Pakistan must realize that India is not determined to conquer or destroy Pakistan for the simple reason that it is not in India’s interest to do so. India has enough problems keeping together its diverse castes and ethnic communities without adding 70 million more Muslims to the mix.
Rizwan Khan , evey ane person want to keep neighborhood clean and sanitized .No harm , if Indians look at Pakistan this way . Its a hard truth that the Pakistan Jinnah envisioned died long time ago and it’s time for the urgent disposal of negtive elements.
Indians-Congress or any other- cannot do any more to harm Pakistan than what Pakistani’s are doing to themselves.
The issue of Congress and BJP in power in India is irrelevant to the issue.
Dr Sadiq said “One should, however, never forget that no party in India, including the Congress can ever forget and forgive the Moghul period.”
Chances are you’ve never been to India, Chances are you dont have any friend or family living in India…
Chances are History as a subject has never been your forte.
Historically Mughal have never ruled over whole of present day india at any point in history. Their influence was restricted mostly to the Northern belt …
In number of places friendly Rajput Rajas were alowed to retain the control over their territories by paying tribute to the Mughal regime…Rest of the country was ruled by a mix of Muslim and Hindu kings…While Mughal army engaged the armies of other Muslim and Hindu kings alike…ironically majority of the time, Mughal army was always under a Rajput commander with a large contingent of Rajput fighters.
So whats the deal about forget and forgive the Mughals? Frankly nobody here in India cares.
Nobody in India fights elections over issues like ‘dealing with Pakistan’… There are issues like country’s economy, progress, welfare of ppl, etc count while electing a govt…
So how does it matter to Pakistan which govt is elected in India?
Refer to Dr Sadiq. I am an Indian.
Its strange that you mention that India will never forgive its Mughal period. Indian are very proud of its Mughal period. Try destroy any Mughal period architecture like Jama Masjid, Taj Mahal etc and India will go to war over it.
Every school book teaches extensively about Mughal period. The films based on Mughal period are the most popular in India. Mughl-e-Azam, Taj Mahal, Jehanara, Jodha Akbar etc. You think only Muslims watch these films? The most expensive road in Delhi (where the mightiest of Indian corporate honchos live) is Aurangzeb Road, the most visited monument is Taj Mahal, The most familiar history to all Indians is Mughal period (not English Rule) and most popular food is Mughlai food. Pakistan national poet Iqbals’ “Sare Jahan se acha” is played on our Republic day parade every year and is the most popular song in Hindi speaking North India after the National Anthem. Every school marches to its tune on school functions. Try asking Indians to give up our Mughal heritage and we will nuclear bomb.
We consider it as part of our rich heritage and take pride in it. We do not look at it as a Hindu period or a Muslim period. Hardly anybody In India discusses about the “Hindu period” although it was much longer than Mughal period. That may be because it was too far back and Mughal period ha been romaticized in India for its poetry, architecture etc and has written records available for reading and discussing.
There is an old saying. “If you ever forget where you came from, you would never know where you are headed to.”. We can not forget out heritage and roots. We will feel anchorless. Mughal period is our heritage and part of our roots.
I wish Pakistan would also look at its heritage and roots to define its identity – whihc is in crisis today.
Pakistan should stop looking for parity with India. It is not only foolish but impossible to achieve. India has a different economy, size and mindset and getting into an arms race with India will only bankrupt Pakistan. Look what Reagen did to the USSR. It is in Pakistan’s best interest to sign a non-agression treaty with India respecting the current Line of Control and focus on competing with India in terms of the economic well being of its people and country. Number One action item is to eliminate all extra constitutional centres of power like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda etc and reform the religious schools. Pakistan today is on a short leash and needs to build bridges with any country or group that would help them develop and progress be it India, Afghanistan or Iran or for that matter even Israel. It is time to put religion on the back burner and focus on Roti, Kapda and Makan.
I dont know if the new Indian government is a boon or bane for the Indo-pak relations. But the defeat of hindu fundamentalists is good for Indians in general and Hindus in perticular. For them religion is just an instrument to gain power. Even in this 21st century there are places in remote India where upper cast hindus look down at some lower cast hindus and practice untouchability. Our so called nationalist parties and Hindu organisations never bothered about these issues. As some beggers beg money displaying the portrait of Ram, some of our leaders use Hindu gods for garnering votes. Indians displayed maturity rejecting these parties.
I am sure Pakistanis will serve their religion by rejecting their mullahs and religious parties who just use the religion to get hold on political power.
dont you think its time we did away with the mentality of what others are doing and finally got thinking about what we are doing.
who we have chosen as our leaders? how Pakistan, as a nation needs to stand amongst other nations. We a head held high !!!
not on her knees begging.
not needing to depend on things falling in our favor.
Reading news here is like reading a crime thriller. Religion, Power, Guns – the mix is intoxicating. Who cares about the millions displaced? In this very newspaper there are articles where the journalist records the presence of people (who have bounties on thier heads) in the corridors of power. Duplicity is not a quality that one wants to learn from Pakistan – though the expertise is in abundance. Any student of history knows that the country lies in the land of the cradle of human civilization – yet the lack of it is so damning. And there is plenty to learn from that era of glorious civilization. Just google Panini , Taxila etc – from there the land has now come to Taliban – with the backing of petro dollars. What a let down. Unfortunately there are people in Pakistan who do not believe that they are from the very land. Many believe that they came as the invading hordes from the west and some are proud of it instead of being ashamed of it. Lots of soul searching needed before trying to normalise relationship with the big neighbour.
Indians never want Pakistan to merge with it again.
So, Pakistanis need not have any misconceptions on this score.
Pak can take the following actions:
1)Wipe out rabid fundamentalists like Taliban
2)Switch over to secular credentials like India by respecting multi-religious & multi-cultural ideals. (This was indeed the dream of Jinnah – the founder of Pak.)
3)Give up the arms race and instead focus on progress through developement
We cannot expect any good from the politicians of the sub-continent. After partition, they have always held the two nations hostage to their whims. People in this part of the world are poor and they need food more than Atomic bombs !!
Does anyone think Congress will be any better? I think they should learn from the history. Only recently they made dams on the water that gushes down in Pakistan’s territory.
Just today I saw a picture in Dawn, a Pak nuclear missile with Jinnah’s photo on it. In India no one can ever hang Ganhdi’s photo on a nuclear weapon. Is this the vision he had for his legacy?
Raees
I agree with you, instead of matching India’s AWAC Pakistan should spend its resources in rehabilitating IDPs. I wish Pak army was controlled by the civilian govt. like we do in India, then only pak army could have been dissuaded from building a second nuclear strike when millions are starving…
As far as India is concerned, Pak has minimum nuclear deterence and it does not need to feel insecure.
Piddu,
You got it wrong. I want Pakistan to revert to the fifties with its secular westernized outlook. I want Pakistan as a strong secular progressive state like Turkey, Bosnia and Algeria. That is what was envisaged for Pakistan by its founder and we the younger Pakistanis will have our way to fulfill his dreams.
Conversely what if the forces of Hindutva took India back to the Vedic age, and if the Indian Muslims are reduced to the level of the “Adwijas” or the “Non-twice-born”? I would not want to re-integrate into an India which pays lip service to secularism yet slaughters Sikhs ( 50,000 in 1984 ), Dalits (Bihar), Christians (Kandhamahal Orrissa 2008 ). I do not weep for the 1.5 million Indian Muslims slaughtered since 1947. They do not belong there. Their home is here. Pakistan needs M.J.Akbar, Shabana Azmi, Sania Mirza, M.F.Husain, Azim Premji, Abdul Kalam, A.R. Rehman, and Pataudi. We need the metal worker from Moradabad, the tanner from Vaniyambadi, the Mapilla fishermen from Kerala, the chikan tailor from Lucknow, the baker from Bombay, and the weaver from Calcutta. We need them NOW to make Pakistan a diverse nation and dilute our tribal, feudal and fundamentalist tendencies.
Narendra Modi and his like will drive them out into our arms. Pakistan will then flourish as India descends into the abyss. The day the tricolor on the Red Fort is replaced with the Bhagwa Dhwaj THAT would Pakistan’s defining moment, justifying every thing we have struggled for and justifying the decision of my parents to vote for Pakistan with their feet !
Pakistan Paindabad !
For Pakistanis that believe that India has any interest in taking it over – I would say consider the facts. India could have taken over East Pakistan in 1971 but instead Bangladesh was created and its sovereignty has always been respected.
Both India and Pakistan have to deal with poverty, illiteracy and widespread depravation. But in India there is hope and confidence for a better future. There is enough governance that existing party was returned after 5 years of rile. By contrast, in Pakistan there is widespread frustration and cynicism. For most of history it has been ruled by military dictators. Even the democratic government that has barely been elected a year back is already wildly unpopular. There is a civil was going on for all practical purposes where the Pakistan airforce is dropping bombs on its own people and 3 million people have become homeless.
Now talk about world’s perception. When you mention India then Western people think : Taj Mahal, IT, call center, largest democracy. When you talk of Pakistan, people think of terror and unprotected nukes.
Why would India want to have any part of Pakistan within it?
When people say that they regret the partition, they are simply talking about the horrors associated with the partition – not any nostalgia for unification. In any case more than 80% of Indian population is below the age of 60 and was not even born at the time of partition and the only thing they want from Pakistan is to be left alone -so that we can progress on our own.
I don’t think it makes sense in engaging pakistan unless and untill it gives up on using terrorism as a state tool, why waste time with someone who calls a terrorist freedom fighter?, India is on critical stage of growth and in next 20 years probably we will be far ahead
The collective,massive inferiority complex of our country has taken it to the depths of hell.
When will we understand that instead of trying to be militarily better than india, we should look inwards and progress ? Educate our population ? educate our women ? Take knowledge based jobs as india does ?
What can we offer the kasmiris ? we are ourselves a wretched nation looking for IMF handouts!
My friend Yaqoot Mir, the question is not INDIA. It is Pakistan. You are going back to the thinking that prevailed in Pakistan earlier and see for yourself what has happened to Pakistan. An anti India policy has only led to Pakistan hurting itself. Pakistan is not so much on India’s radar as far as strategic perceptions are concerned. India’s strategic out look lies somewhere else. You perhaps are not aware of the conditions that prevail in North Korea. The nation is starving. It’s a pariah in this world? Do you want your nation to be like that? A nuclear armed fighting force does not produce food for the country; it only eats into the money that could be used for the economic upliftment of the country. Trying to seek military parity with India will only see Pakistan suffer economically. India’s strategic concerns lie else where; we didn’t go nuclear because of Pakistan. India will move up economically and militarily and it is hope less to chase India on that target. We don’t want to destroy Pakistan nor merge it with India. We’d like to see a good prosperous neighbor so that we sleep peacefully with out looking over the wall everyday. My best wishes to the people of Pakistan in your current fight against terrorists and religious fundamentalists.
To all the Pakistanis, I have one piece of advise for you. Indians do not want one piece of your country or for that matter any integration with Pakistan. We have enough territory and population to deal with and thinking of another couple of millions keeps me awake at night. We Indians are happy as the status quo power. Our economy keeps growing and we are more respected in this world. Pakistan on the other hand is going down. So why bother with Pakistan.
To put things in perspective for Yaqoot Mir…..
Why apologize or feel pathetic!!!
We didn’t send 10 trained terrorists to blow up hotels and kill innocents like what happenend in Mumbai. We have your own citizen lodged in our jail and the whole world knows it. You may call it a good PR from the indian side.
We didnt send our army to Pakistan like what you did in Kargil…after AB Vajpayee just had a historic deal with Pakistan to get peace and friendship back on track. Think a little bit how a person would feel being in that position and would we be able to ever trust a person/country who does that !
We have been bled continuously for last 20 yrs be it in kashmir or in Punjab.
I feel helpless and even amused when you say you want to look to N. Korea for inspiration. Determination is required in an adverse condition where you find yourself under circumstances which are beyond your own control not in situations which is your own creation. This was your own/American growth, so you need more prudence to think about your policies towards your own people and in general the level of education you want to impart to your society.
It hurts each time India is held responsible for a mess you have created in your own backyard.
I know that the old saying an eye for an eye would make the world go blind. And we need to get out of that mindset of hurting each other just for the sake of doing because after sometime it becomes a habit.