LAHORE: Ashis Ray, the author and CNN’s first bureau chief for South Asia, suggests cricket diplomacy and cultural exchanges to bring about a thaw in the frozen relations between Pakistan and India.

“Pakistani players should be allowed to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and Indians in the PSL (Pakistan Super League). If a Pakistani player plays in the IPL, it will generate goodwill among the supporters of that franchise. The cricket boards of both countries need to act independently. Similarly, artists of both countries should be allowed to perform in each other’s country,” he said while speaking at an event “Pak-India Relations – current situation and the way forward” organised by the Institute of Peace and Connectivity (IPAC) here on Thursday. The event was presided over by IPAC chairman and former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and attended by the IPAC directors.

Mr Ray said had the Indian cricket team not come to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy on the security issues, then it might have had a point but for not coming here on ‘political reasons,’ the team should have been forfeited for points. He also suggested the use of social media for Indians and Pakistanis to come together. “There should be an exchange of ideas between the common man of two sides besides a joint venture between filmmakers and musicians (of Pakistan and India),” he proposed.

Mr Ray said that constructive dialogue should start without any delay between two counties. “If ice can break between the US and Russia, why not between India and Pakistan,” he asked.

Commenting on whether US President Donald Trump could play a role in normalizing relations between Pakistan and India, he said: “Mr Trump, in his first term, had offered to mediate between the two countries… Now he may encourage bilateral dialogue.” He said India’s main issue with Pakistan was terrorism while the latter had Kashmir.

Mr Ray, who is a grandnephew of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose and peace activist, recalled that immense progress had been made in 2004-08 between the two countries as well as on the back channel. “This historic peace process between the two countries had resulted in the conclusion of a framework of a possible solution for Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the cause of wars in the past. While some may say that it was an opportunity lost, but, luckily not all is lost, since we have a template and can resume negotiations from where two countries left off,” he said.

Ashis Ray credited Mr Kasuri for his role as foreign minister in facilitating the talks and for his own diplomacy in the matter. He quoted from Mr Kasuri’s book, Neither a Hawk nor a Dove, to drive home his point as to “how close the two sides had come to clinching a deal”.

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri emphasised that shifting geopolitical realities on the global stage following President Trump’s victory could present an opportunity for improved Pakistan-India relations.

“However, terrorism poses an equal threat to both countries and may undermine any possibility of potential diplomatic progress. Since both countries have large armies with huge nuclear stockpiles and strike capabilities it will be sheer madness to even think of war,” he cautioned.

Assessing the current state of relations, the former foreign minister described it as one of the worst periods in history between the two countries. He attributed this decline, primarily to the rise of Hindutva-driven rhetoric in India, which had been used to polarise the electorate through anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan, and anti-Bangladesh sentiments to win votes. He noted that history had also shown that relations could improve quite suddenly and unexpectedly.

IPAC directors Syed Yawar Ali, retired Lt Gen Waheed Arshad, Ambassador Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Zafaruddin Mahmood, Ambassador Shahid Malik, Begum Mehnaz Rafi, Dr Salman Shah and Dr Moeed Yusuf were also present.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2025