ISLAMABAD: Speaking at a roundtable on Indo-Pak relations, Hindustan Times political editor Vinod Sharma said India and Pakistan should avoid unreasonable policies.

“We belong to a school that distinguishes itself from others with the belief in democracy,” he said.

Mr Sharma was speaking at a forum on ‘Indo-Pak Relations: Moving Beyond Acrimony and Suspicion’ organised by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

According to a press release, Mr Sharma said there were certain issues that had to be left to state institutions, but health, education and the environment were topics that were the responsibility of all, including the media and parliament.

“Any prime minister’s commitment to his country cannot be questioned. But the political leaders have to take risks to create and expand the constituency of peace.

“In politics, you have to take risks in order to break out of the gridlock of clichés and acrimony,” Mr Sharma said.

Mr Sharma said that both Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif must meet, and could take the process forward if they have a degree of comfort with each other. He said we must stop demonising each other’s national heroes, and called for an institutional mechanism for regular discourse among historians.

“A terrorist wants a state to turn terrorist to gain general sympathies. Courts deny bail in order to be in consonance with the popular mood. Judges do get influenced by popular mood but rule of law is must to ensure a prosperous future for nations,” he said.

“Media opinion should not be led by short-versioned interventionists. Media should help create a positive society that believes in philanthropy. Both states must take steps to develop confidence-building measures and [facilitate] dialogue among the historians, media, scholars, filmmakers as our relations don’t have much hope from accord.”

“Kashmir can’t be resolved through treaties it will have to be resolved through honest talks and sharing of problems.

We remain committed to December 10 declaration on sidelines of Heart of Asia,” Mr Sharma said.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2016