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.
Nothing will change!!! the change should come from Pakistan.
Pakistan needs to lay down the law of the land – a law that is not dependent on the mullahs approval or disapproval – across ALL our territory including Waziristan.
“You cannot violate our sovereignty” but “we cannot control people in these territories” is a contradiction whose magic is that anyone actually engaged it at all.
Pakistan must eschew the religious nature of their country and become more secular and tolerant. If Pakistan wants to improve, they must initiate a rapprochement with India and learn from it’s neighbour’s success.
A conclusive victory for Congress will lead to more aggressive attitude toward its small neighbors. What India is trying is to achieve is what America has already achieved in the world – increase influence in other nations – and India has embarked on this policy from its small and weaker neighbors, Nepal is a recent example. But America is a rich nation and they could buy this goal through financial aid to underdeveloped countries. But India is not going to spend money, they have a mentality of a mahajan (a typical money lender) who believe in occupying the assets of others – an example of Baglihar power dam in Kashmir which is against the signed water treaty between India and Pakistan. India is already creating insurgency like situation for Pakistan in Baluchistan via Afghanistan. Who helped Tamil Tigers for 25 years, it was Indian RAW who provided arms and finance to the rebels because Sri Lanka did not surrender to Indian hegemony. Pakistan and other small countries in this region should not expect any positive change in Indian attitude. Read what our Indian friends have commented in this column. It is in the psyche of a person or a nation when it is rising – India is definitely rising in the commit of nations – they start feeling superior as one contributor has written “we are not the same people”. In this atmosphere when Pakistan is cultivating what America sowed 20 years ago by creating a trained force of Mujahideen to break Rusia. India is trying to take full advantage of this situation and rather add to these problems by opening other fronts like Baluchistan to weaken Pakistan. It is a very sensitive and patience testing time for Pakistan and its people. I appeal to Pakistani people not to look at India or America for emerging out of these crisis. You have to remain united as one nation because your strength and financial stability only can force India to fulfill its commitments – no matter how strong they are today.
Things will NEVER change, till Pakistan keeps on governing based on only one principle – ANTI-INDIA, as exemplified by the following statements by Pakistan ambassdor to US. He fails to understand that India’s nuclear arms are NOT against Pakistan, but for detterance against countries like China. I like Pakistanis, have many Pakistani friends here and I want Paksian to prosper; but first it has to purge the ANTI-INDIA policy. India will move on to become a great power; but it will be a shame for Pakistan to become Talibanstan. Haqqani should say that we are purging all the Talibans and other terrorists, rather than worry about India. Read on…
———–
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is willing to phase out its nuclear arsenal only if India agrees to do the same, Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani said on Saturday. “Pakistan is willing to engage with our neighbour for a comprehensive settlement in which the nuclear weapons can be phased out by both countries,” he told CNN
I think we should not build heavy expectations from the new indian government regarding indo-pak peace because..
1. Practically speaking, problems of historic proportion will only get solved over generations and not in weeks/months
2. Don’t forget congress benefited from its tough stance on Pakistan following 26/11.
3.Expecting too much can give way to despair if it is not matched by actual outcomes.
Most of indo-pak debates are cliche and we all know where the real problems and solutions lie…people just to need to open their minds
I left India before 30 years.Thanks to Internet we cousins of past and still with all most same culture can blog about, our countries.
There are more sane,educated and peace loving people in both the countries.Can we imagine how well all poor people in both countries will fare if we just try and get along?
India will never invade Pakistan.Indians of all cast and religions wants stable ,strong prosperous Pakistan .Past attitude—will not keep your country united. I have heard Muslims who’s Grand parents left India are still not completely accepted and assimilated?
In both countries common man wants food,clean water,electricity–24 hrs,education and Health Services in the smallest villages.
This ideal dream will only become reality if we put aside hatred and terrorism and start trusting each other and diverting money from defence to our poors and infrastructure.
I am dreamer but Both countries have likes of mr,cowosji-Kuldipnair-Iftikarbhai and Maheralibhai–PLEASE make it happen.
So long as the Army convinces the people of pakistan that India is the enemy, they can enjoy the power they have and continue to have.They are an elite who sustain their life style by keeping the kashmir issue alive and stoking fears.If pakistan diverts its resources from its foolish military expenditure and focuses on education, infrastructure and economic development, they can come up like India.Otherwise, it will slide down the abyss of a failed state, relying on the bread crumbs thrown by the opportunistic west.Pakistans army is engaged in nothing but nuclear blackmail.
Pour in billions, give us F 16s or else the extremists will get the nukes.And the games go on.
@Chari
let me address ur questions;
Trust: its bilateral, how can pakistan trust india after the 1971 debacle.? If we had fully supported Khalistan on the same pretext that india did in east pak, would u trust us? The trust lies in the issue of kashmir, when pak and india agreed on plbescite,then y hold elections and not plebescite giving an excuse of infilteration? ask ur self this question. Its complex dear friend, just dont mix morality with politics!
Corridor: Bravo! pak should give india a corridor! would india do the same if pak asks for a corridor to reach bangladesh and burma? Its strategic for pakistan politically! Pak fought along side the afghans,we bore 40 million afghans when USSR (indian ally) invaded them. India never talked against that invasion! was that moral? no was the geopolitical YES! so now its pakistans geopolitical interest not to have india in afghanistan.
China:this factor not only concerns india but USA. all this hotch potch is due to the chinese influence in pak,Gwadar a deep sea port will stregthen pak, but india through its intelligence supports the BLA. Is that right? ts just like we support ULFA or Maoists or Kahsmiris!
Trust my friend is mutual, there is alot in india that speaks about greater india, theres some in pakistan that talk abt the mughal era and how to make dehli as capital (ironically those guys opposed pakistans creation and supported congress JUIites)
Politics is a dirty business,look what has happened,after the Indus water treaty how that has been shattered,building dams like baghliar will have implications,that will lead to crossing of the borders, many mumbais! u know it , and i know it! in 1962 when india fought china, the chinese minister in pakistan told Aub Khan to invade kahsmir as indian forces were moved towards assam,he didnt attack! Its said that indian general spoke with ayub and had mutual uderstanding that this will not happen since both were course mates at dehradhun military academy.Will that reciprocate if pak goes towards western front and india doesnt attack kashmir ? Who started the atomic race here? 1974 smiling bhudda? right? and then again in 1998!
These are facts, pak will never stop infilterating kashmir since india did that in 1971 for which pak laid arms in front of indian army!that has affected armies psyche just like ur psyche was affected by the chinese!
Its good india is booming,but whats happening in pakistan is due to geopolitics and not religious. We attack taliban world says we arent sincere,we make a pact then the world cries!i wonder who gives them arms! who gives arms to BLA?
My message, dot mix Morality with Politics! its politics in Iraq,Iran and Afghanistan and not religion or taliban or alqaeda! they dont have GHQ’s or Pentagons or defence analysts! they are rag tags!
With congress in power in india it is highly unlikely that the bilateral problems would get resolved , as it has never happened since post 1947 congress ruled era, so what can be expected now ? So, it is a bane . Secondly, it is for the feudal democratic lords to decide whether congress suits them to do business with and whether it augurs well for pak. India and Pak should revive composite peace process and begin to solve issue permanently like sir creek , indus water , siachen etc. Increase — people to people contact , bilateral trade. Then get on to contentious major issues viz kashmir , terrorism ,within set dead lines .This can happen if both the democratically elected govts have the will to resolve and open a new chapter in the sub continent.
I see a stable and prosperous India and an increasngly fragile Pakistan in future. Present congress govt will lend stability to India and usher in more economic growth. Let us not forget that India is a status quo power in the region. Until now, Pakistan has tried (and failed) to change the status quo in Kashmir. It is now reaping the fruits of its own action in the form of home grown terrorism threatening its own existence.
So, the question is not whether Pakistan will benefit from the present govt in India but whether Pakistan, with its weak politican infrastructure and dominance of the military, is able to take advantage of the situation. Dr MMS, India’s PM, is well disposed towards Pakistan. If Pakistan goes to the table with an open mind and gives credible assurance to India that it will do everything to bring perpetrators of Mumbai massacre to justice, i think relations can improve tremendously.
If, OTOH, Pak continues with its past mindset (exemplified by people like Hamid Gul), nothing much can be done.
In nutshell, the ball is in Pakistan’s court.
We have no choice but to accept the fact of a stable india at least for the next five years. Consequently, we must review our policy for the next five years towards that country. It cannot happen till that policy is taken out from GHQ, discussed openly and honestly and then set by the foreign office. The old policy of bleeding india to death has accomplished the opposite result and india is getting stronger and us weaker. We have put even our life line, the irrigtation water for Punjab, which had been flowing uniterrupted all along, at risk.
Kashmiris have got too tired over the last 20 years to sustain the Jihad any longer. It will fizzle out like the Khalistan movement did if we do not call it off gracefully. The latter gives us at least some hope of reviving it later at a more suitable time. We made many mistakes in Kashmir. The basic assumption that if a Jihad could break the mightly Soviet Union within a decade, india can be finnished within a few years, did not take into account that democracies have a resilience that dictatorships do not. Then there were many tactical mistakes. Sending non Kashmiri Mujahideen alienated the local population. Also, we did not make sufficient attempts to convince the people that our primary objective was their freedom and not bleeding india at their expense.
We cannot wish away nor slow down the fast economic growth taking place in india. Strikes like in Bombay will not frighten away the foreign capital. On the other hand they open us to retaliation and get us a bad reputation in the world. Not only do we have no choice but to reconcile to this reality but we should also try to take advantage of it by signing some wise trade treaties with them.
Widening Gaps
A stable Congress Govt would make this much difference that at the end of 5 years…if Pakistan keeps buying time the gap between India and Pakistan (economically and diplomatically) would widen. So it is upto Pakistan to go after terrorists in Punjab Province once it is done on frontiers and sincerely deal with Mumbai Attack Culprits and other most wanted like Azhar Mehsud and Dawood to name a few). Once that is done , seal a deal with india asap. More you delay more you loose. It is a give and take.
Singh is King!!
I am an US citizen of Indian ethnicity. Once the anti-India sentiment starts to wane, relations will improve.
Piddu,
A secular government in India is certainly the best for India (though not necessarily so for Pakistan). Babri Masjid,Gujarat, Anti-Christian pogroms in Orissa are internal matters for India to sort out.
For the record Pakistan was envisaged as a secular state by its founder Mohamed Ali Jinnah.
Yes, we can be a South Korea, in fact we were heading that way up to the late seventies. The Regional Council for Development (RCD) which involved Iran ( Shah’s Iran ), and Turkey was a good step and helped pull us out of the post-1971 trauma. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and our involvement in the “Great Game” at the behest of our American allies ruined us.
Yes, Pakistan will survive. The question is in what form. It is not merely economic development. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in development and economy yet remains a savage totalitarian fundamentalist monarchy. I would not like to see Pakistan go that way.
Peoples speak about Indian Bombay attacks. since last two decades,Pakistan is also in a civil war conditions. A short number of Taliban, have new shape of weapons. Likewise other Pakistan anti forces have novel weapons,can’t you understand that we are also in same boat, as are Indian. Availability of new weapons with anti-Pakistan forces, who is responsible Pakistan or anti-Pakistan forces. To levy blames on others are easy rather to go into fathom is difficult. Indian Train attacks, who is responsbile Pakistan or Indian ex-army officials themself. Its quite easy to critisize each other rather to eradicate rout cause problems.
The relations will be normalised only after there is a real change of heart for India from Pakistan and its people, though Indian people only have goodwill for the people of Pakistan.
People of India have voted for congress for its policies and faith in Dr. Manmohan Singh leadership. We want to have good friendly relations with pakistan and we are sure that the people of pakistan wants the same. Hatred for one-another will only burn and damage ourself.
I am sure that a possitive response from the government of pakistan to held those responsible for Mumbai attack and not to let pakistani soil get used by elements to plan and execute attacks on India will open new doors of dialouge and friendship and trust in both countries.
Things will remain as they are and it will take paradigm shift from Pakistan to survive first forget about improving or having relations with India. Pakistan has created internal religious killing machines in the name of Taliban over vast stretches of Land and with generation of youth fed on religous hatred,it will hard for liberal population to convince Pakistanto stand up to the demands of modern world racing with economic reforms and technology.Pakistan has already lost the race and is no where for next 10-15 years as massive mismanagement of dictators and intolerance of misguided youth in its society have taken effect.
Expecting India to make concessions on the religion for nation(Kashmir) is impossible and will not happen as the truth that Sun rises in east and will set in west. No wonder repeated talks have failed and will not succeed.The stronger India gets- the weaker Pakistan has become as has been evident over the last 20 years.The reasons for degeneration of Pakistan itself are the very reasons why India will not agree to the demands of Pakistan as much as Pakistan will not understand why India will never concede.
Concerning issues are actually different-with new generation of Indians coming into Politics it will be even harder for Pakistan to convince India of its stand 60 years ago.At the end-talks will fail because thats how diffrent India is from Pakistan culturally,politically and in secular terms that it will never agree or concede an inch to a religiously structured nation.In one word we are talking of respect!
I am surprised so few of our Pakistani friends addressed the question!
Pakistan needs to do a few things to improve the situation:
1. Change antiIndia attitude by changing curriculam in the schools
2. Provide India corridor to Afghanistan.
3. Trust India that India will never attack Pakistan.
India should:
1. Resolve Pakistan’s water problem
2. Help Pakistan to trust India
3. Help Pakistani budding democracy
4. Provide pilgrimages for muslims in these countries.
5. Open visas for relatives
I would appeal to fellow Indians to leave Pakistan to its own devices and not feel unnecessarily sentimental. We should not and need not try to befriend Pakistan nor work for its destabilization. I am not one to believe that ‘we are the same people’.
If they reform themselves, which looks very doubtful considering the fact that they will continue to look for solutions inside Islam rather than without, well and good.
Indian ethos should accomodate all kinds of people and all shades of opinion. A society that has its basic strengths from the Hindu intellectual traditions should not be bothered about other religions.
We have more urgent things to do. 400 hundred millions are still living below poverty line. We need to urgently carry out economic reforms along with social sector focus to make a big dent on this backlog.
I have been reading many Pakistani newspapers regularly for many years now.
Often I come across numerous articles and editorials in Pakistani papers advising
India how to reduce poverty of its people by settling disputes with Pakistan and divert the monies spent on military for helping poor people in India.
They also frequently suggest this will help India and Pakistan to rise to their true potential etc.etc…
But, what I don’t see is the same advise given to your own leaders. Pakistan can settle all disputes with India. India’s position on converting LOC to border is well known. Pakistan can also get rid numerous terrorist camps and groups operating within and frequent terrorist attacks.
I don’t see Pak journalists,columnists, editors etc., of Pakistani newspapers
dishing out this very simple solution or advise to your own establishment. Stop
these activities and there will be productive talks with India to improve relations. This will certainly reduce
troop deployments by India allowing Pakistan to focus taliban on its western
border.
If this advise is followed by Pakistan, 30
to 40 % of it’s budget being spent on
Military can be utilized for the welfare
of it’s people.
Reducing tensions with Pakistan is not in India’s hand.
Ramesh
Nation to nation relations flourish only in the atmosphere when states don’t allow religion overlap their mutual functioning.I am sure if Pakistan is able to control it & violence by terrorists,be those belonging to any group,then congress victory will definitely prove as a boon for not only Pakistan but for India as well!
We Pakistanis must show to India that we are serious in dealing with the menace of terrorism.
We must address India’s concern.