New hopes and aspirations

A recent change in the attitude of India and Pakistan where both countries have established communications and opened borders for people-to-people contact along with renewed diplomacy has generated new hope, not only among the people of the region, but around the world. The demonstration by both nations of shared interests in sports, art, entertainment and trade, indicates a desire to live in peace. They want to enjoy sharing and promoting their common history and culture.

Corroborating their peoples’ aspirations, the government leaders of India and Pakistan are also ready to move forward in the direction of seeking a solution to the issue of Kashmir.

Both the countries will have to “give and take” with the prime focus being the interests of the people of Kashmir. So far, leaders of both countries have been unable to demonstrate any flexibility.

During his first visit to Kashmir the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, loudly repeated the Indian stand by announcing Kashmir was an integral part of India. He refused to accept any Line of Control as a permanent border and he did not agree to hold the plebiscite.

On the other hand Pakistani President, General Pervez Musharraf, has led a far-reaching ideological change in Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir and is often found vocalising various options like demilitarising all or parts of Kashmir or parceling Kashmir into seven geographical regions (five currently under Indian control and two with Pakistan). However he seemed intractable on his insistence that the Kashmir issue should be resolved according to the will of the people of Kashmir by a plebiscite.

It is good to see India and Pakistan making efforts to build friendly relations. Nonetheless, a half-century of bitterness and enmity will require time to develop into a mature understanding of each others’ point of view. Therefore, there is still a need to obtain consensus from the people of India and Pakistan before their leaders commence bilateral talks.

There is also a need for both countries to provide a forum for thinkers, scholars, journalists and politicians to meet and discuss the Kashmir issue in a fair and free atmosphere and to then make their suggestions public.

Most importantly, there is a need to engage those parties and groups representing the people of Kashmir from both the Pakistani and Indian sides to help seek a solution.

The leaders of both India and Pakistan should realise that the stability on the borders of India, Pakistan and Kashmir will lead to the stability of South Asia. The social and economic development of the region is directly linked to peaceful relations between India and Pakistan.

The need for co-operation and political stability has never been appreciated to such an extent as it is today.

The entire South Asia region is going through great demographic changes. In the last 50 years the population of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh has almost doubled. This rate of population growth, between 6 to 8 per cent a year, leads to social unrest. Therefore, South Asia needs mcuh investment and reform. There is a need to diversify exports, modernise the industrial base, develope human resources and have better macroeconomic management.

Time is ripe to put meaningful regional co-operation into practice on the basis of “give and take” and in a purposeful manner achieve positive results. This would help to build a common future for the people of South Asia.