INDIA is continuously violating the LoC to engage Pakistan on a second front while this country is domestically engaged against militants.

This will add to further deterioration of relations between the two countries, leading to the destabilisation of the South Asian region.

The recent Indian gesture to restart previously derailed talks, this time at the secretary level, only points to New Delhi’s decision to yield to US pressure as Washington is keen that countries in the region join hands for, you guessed it, peace and regional stability.

The TAPI pipeline will help America further its political, strategic and economic interests in the region, but this policy objective cannot be achieved without cordial relations between Afghanistan-Pakistan and Pakistan-India. Hence, the US’s behind the scenes mediation.

Things may not turn out to be so rosy for the US, if the hawks on both sides of the LoC can help it.

Specifically speaking, hard core elements in both countries prefer their strategic solutions to democratic resolutions for various reasons that suit their respective agendas.

In a nutshell, all stakeholders in the subcontinent must realise the fact that peaceful co-existence is in the interests of this region, which is home to one-fifth of humanity.

It is time for the political elite of both the countries to make history by resolving long-standing conflicts. India must stop its dualistic behaviour while Pakistan, realising its geostrategic importance, must make the Indian foreign secretary’s visit an opportunity to improve mutual relations.

The political leadership in both countries must devise comprehensive and pragmatic strategies to contain the hard core elements and normalise bilateral relations. This is the way forward to achieve stability in the region.

Kashef Ahmad
Narowal

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play