FOR the first time a sitting president has twice visited India. America’s Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes attempted to lift our spirits by insisting that US relations with Pakistan are still the same as they were in years.

He further hinted at the immediate support rendered by India to Pakistanis over the Peshawar incident and advised that a solution to terrorism was unity amongst people with ‘traditional divides’.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s Nawaz Sharif’s efficiently crafted economic policies such as privatising public corporations, Bhutto’s charisma and a relatively tolerant society developed the economy at a faster rate than in India.

Today, the Sharifs are once again in power but with little to add to the deplorable conditions the state is in today.

Leaving aside security issues, Pakistan has little to offer in the form of profitable investments and promising relations with the world’s superpower, but with India the situation is completely opposite. We can only project our views when we have the strength and position to do so.

With our weak stance in the world, we need to secure positive relations with India and boost both trade links and cooperation with our neighbour to strengthen our own foundations.

Mobeen Shah

Nottingham, UK

Published in Dawn January 28th, 2015

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