KARACHI, June 14: The South Asian Forum for Security and Cooperation, a group of citizens of the region, has formulated the following recommendations as a strategy for conflict and crisis management in the subcontinent:

Track I - government to government contact to de-escalate tensions and eliminate the risk of war

1. Electronic surveillance and joint monitoring of the Line of Control by India and Pakistan, under the auspices of the UN to check cross border infiltration.

2. No compromise on peace: both India and Pakistan should sign a no-war pact and a nuclear no-first use agreement.

3. Significant cuts in defence expenditures of both countries.

4. Agreement on making South Asia a nuclear free zone.

5. Agreement to develop a problem-solving mechanism for addressing existing and future disputes.

Track II - involving people influencing public policy and opinion

An academic conference at the Track II level (may be convened by Saarc or a country like China, Russia or Iran having demonstrated a commitment to help defuse tensions) on “Resolving Conflicts in South Asia” to be attended by key decision-makers, academics, journalists etc. This could serve as a forum for jointly generating options for problem-solving unofficially. This should provide our leadership, in the first instance, the flexibility to face each other, and secondly to negotiate with each other unofficially and informally. The conference may address issues concerning other South Asian countries so that neither India nor Pakistan feel they are being cornered.

Track III - bringing people together

Pakistani and Indian governments should agree to the following:

—Joint research on security issues by Indian and Pakistani scholars.

— Student exchange programmes at various universities across the border.

  —Relaxation of restrictions on visas and travel to facilitate cultural and social exchange.

  — Building the capacity of the media to play a positive role in influencing attitudes and perceptions.

  —Promoting linkages between civil society organizations in both countries to pool expertise and resources towards the following areas of common concern:

  —Poverty alleviation

  —Fighting disease and epidemics

  —Responding to emergencies such as natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, inter alia)

  —Addressing governance issues such as multi-ethnicity, terrorism, sectarian and communal conflict etc.

  —Ensuring civil society’s participation in monitoring Track I agreements and dispute resolution mechanisms.

Track IV - promoting economic cooperation

Economic strength rather than military power is the key to development and survival. Strong linkages between the government and the private sector will generate the pressure and political will conducive for an enabling environment. Our leaders need to start moving towards South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta). Some of our recommendations in this regard include facilitating the public and especially the private sector to have free trade in goods and service across the borders. Suggested focus areas would include transport and communications, power and energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and food security, IT, and eco- tourism. The specific measures that need to be implemented to promote free trade in goods and services include the following:

  —no informal trade

  —zero duty on regional goods. This in turn would strongly deter informal trade

  —significant bilateral trade imbalances to be eliminated

  —harmonisation of trade regulatory practices (e.g. opening of LCs)

  —customs facilitation for easier movement of goods and services

  —regular trade fairs

  —enabling environment (presence of political will)

  —removal of non-tariff barriers

  —reciprocal complimentarity

  —aggressive promotion of regional tourism.