LAHORE, Sept 4: Indian historian Prof Mushirul Hassan has said the peace process started by Pakistan and India will help remove many misunderstandings between the two countries.

Prof Hassan, who is the vice-chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and Prof Zoya Hassan of the Jawaharlal Nehru University's political science department are in Pakistan these days as guests of the Oxford University Press.

Talking to Dawn after delivering a lecture at the Quaid-i-Azam Library Auditorium, Prof Mushirul Hassan said the governments of both the countries appeared to be serious to solve problems of their people. It was heartening to note that both the governments had first taken up several smaller issues for negotiations and there were reports that they had reached agreements on those.

He said the initiative for the peace process was taken by the BJP government, which was followed by its successor government. Similarly, he said, the Pakistan government was also eager to resolve all disputes.

He said there were many challenges before both the countries and these could be fought well only by working in unison and with welfare of people in mind.

Answering a question, the Indian historian said the detente between the two countries would certainly improve the lot of Indian Muslims. "If the overall situation improves and the relations between the two countries remain good, it will benefit the entire population of both the countries."

Prof Hassan said the people of the sub-continent should judge the situations in the larger perspective of South Asia and not in the context of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "South Asia needs peace and prosperity for which intellectuals, writers and journalists should initiate the process of dialogue and react to the world events in coordination."