FROM about 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has believed it is important for him to visit Pakistan, but linked such a visit to a grand moment in bilateral ties. This is somewhat contradictory for a government that believes progress in this … difficult relationship is incremental, and that the process is part of the solution. Moreover, there has never been a time in recent years when the right diplomatic moment for such a visit has coincided with the right political moment in both countries. Available now is an opportunity … President Asif Ali Zardari’s invitation to him to visit Pakistan in November … and … be there for the Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations, is an offer Prime Minister Singh should accept.…

This year has seen India and Pakistan taking concrete steps towards improving trade with each other. What is more, India has now opened the door to investments from Pakistan … Of course, Pakistan’s inability or unwillingness to deal firmly with the culprits behind the Mumbai attacks remains a sore point.… But staying away would not help produce the desired result either.… External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is to visit Islamabad in September to review the dialogue process that began in 2011. That should provide the opportunity for the two sides to work towards ensuring that the prime minister does take up the invitation.—(Aug 4)

Tourism and temperance

LEST the boom in tourist arrivals this year lead to complacency, the state government needs to take a hard look at the sector’s performance ….

If tour operators, houseboat owners, hoteliers and others involved in the tourist trade fail to put their heads together with the government for a fair and realistic idea of the infrastructure available, and plan bookings and travel accordingly, the next season could well be one of chaos ….

This summer is only the second period of calm after three consecutive violent and bloody seasons, and it would be only the utterly foolish who would not keep fingers crossed....

Future projections for the industry depend in large measure on the bureaucracy as well. Should the tempo of the trade sustain, the sector must not be allowed to turn into a vested interest for sections of this lucky class whose past veterans have a history of running departments as fiefdoms.… Heavy responsibility lies on the … government machinery.... On what lines this trade evolves in the coming years depends on those framing policy.—(Aug 4)