THIS is apropos your editorial ‘Pak-India cultural ties’ (Oct 21) in which you have lamented the deteriorating cultural ties between the two countries.

Historically and in recent times India has hurt Pakistan time and again. It fished in the troubled waters of East Pakistan in 1971 and severed our eastern wing. In 1984, it stealthily occupied Siachin.

The Indian army was beaten hollow both in NEFA and Ladakh.

At that time what Pakistan had to do was just move its army into Kashmir. It could just go through the fragile Indian defence as a hot knife does trough butter. Pakistan, however, didn’t want to stab India in the back.

As for cultural ties, India is not interested even in playing cricket with Pakistan. Our artistes who had gone to India to work on their own request have been disgraced. Those Indians who tried to say a word or two in favour of Pakistani artistes were given a life-threat, and they retracted immediately.

And you are advocating cultural ties and harmony. Isn’t it too simplistic an approach?

S. Siddiqui

Karachi

Published in Dawn October 25th, 2016