State-to-state engagement: ‘Respecting institutional democracy a prerequisite’
Veteran journalist says media can play role to help develop positive bilateral engagement
Quaid-i-Azam University,Islamabad. PHOTO: fb.com/Quaid.i.Azam.University.Islamabad
ISLAMABAD:
You cannot talk about peace in an atmosphere of attrition and distrust. Media could play an important role to help develop positive engagement between India and Pakistan. It is extremely important to respect institutional democracy in our respective countries.
The Hindustan Times Political Editor Vinod Sharma said this while speaking during a lecture titled “India Pakistan Relations: the way forward” held at Quaid-e-Azam University on Monday.
He said that “India and Pakistan share a very turbulent relationship where at times it arouses great hope and at times it leaves us deeply desperate and despondent”.
Sharma said that he was not making a presentation on behalf of the India government or his newspaper and rather he was sharing his personal assessment of India-Pakistan relations.
“We have come to a stage where there is a degree of apprehension on our side and a degree of circumspection on your side. Apprehension on our side about what’s going to happen with regard to the threat that we perceive as emanating from Pakistan and circumspection from your side about India’s approach to the promised comprehensive dialogue to address Pakistan’s concerns,” he said.
“Rather than offering solutions to the Kashmir dispute or offering ideas as to how to tackle terror that is a common threat to both countries, I , as a media person and a student of mass communication, would share my perspective on how to create a climate for a meaningful engagement. You can’t talk about peace in an atmosphere of attrition and distrust. Many of the problems that we face in our respective countries directly involve the people of two countries.”
Sharma said, “With the presence of threats around, you can’t get the way of life you want even when the governments are doing well”.
He said that the confluence of interest between India and Pakistan was essential to give their people a sense of security and hope for the future. The two countries should endeavour to build upon this confluence of interest which will fetch the proposed dialogue, the required public support from both sides of border, he said.
“Vitiation of public discourse can prove to be the biggest threat to peace process in the subcontinent”, he said urging the respective media to play an effective role to help develop positive engagement between the two states.
He said that no prime minister - regardless of which country one talk about – will do anything to compromise his country’s national interest. Popular democracy was good and could not be cast aside but it was extremely important to respect institutional democracy in our respective countries for bolstering positive state-to-state engagement.
“Democracy in India-Pakistan has to be participative but that participation of people cannot be extended to subjects where institutions of the state must have the last word,” Sharma said.
He underpinned the need for honest talks, exchange of ideas and sharing of problems between leaders of the two countries to keep the dialogue on track. He said that no dialogue can succeed without trust between leaderships and support of the people.
QAU IR Department Prof Dr Mujeeb Afzal said that India and Pakistan relations were a combination of contradiction and mutuality. He said that the media was of a great relevance in the entire peace process and should play a positive role for normalising relations.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2016.
You cannot talk about peace in an atmosphere of attrition and distrust. Media could play an important role to help develop positive engagement between India and Pakistan. It is extremely important to respect institutional democracy in our respective countries.
The Hindustan Times Political Editor Vinod Sharma said this while speaking during a lecture titled “India Pakistan Relations: the way forward” held at Quaid-e-Azam University on Monday.
He said that “India and Pakistan share a very turbulent relationship where at times it arouses great hope and at times it leaves us deeply desperate and despondent”.
Sharma said that he was not making a presentation on behalf of the India government or his newspaper and rather he was sharing his personal assessment of India-Pakistan relations.
“We have come to a stage where there is a degree of apprehension on our side and a degree of circumspection on your side. Apprehension on our side about what’s going to happen with regard to the threat that we perceive as emanating from Pakistan and circumspection from your side about India’s approach to the promised comprehensive dialogue to address Pakistan’s concerns,” he said.
“Rather than offering solutions to the Kashmir dispute or offering ideas as to how to tackle terror that is a common threat to both countries, I , as a media person and a student of mass communication, would share my perspective on how to create a climate for a meaningful engagement. You can’t talk about peace in an atmosphere of attrition and distrust. Many of the problems that we face in our respective countries directly involve the people of two countries.”
Sharma said, “With the presence of threats around, you can’t get the way of life you want even when the governments are doing well”.
He said that the confluence of interest between India and Pakistan was essential to give their people a sense of security and hope for the future. The two countries should endeavour to build upon this confluence of interest which will fetch the proposed dialogue, the required public support from both sides of border, he said.
“Vitiation of public discourse can prove to be the biggest threat to peace process in the subcontinent”, he said urging the respective media to play an effective role to help develop positive engagement between the two states.
He said that no prime minister - regardless of which country one talk about – will do anything to compromise his country’s national interest. Popular democracy was good and could not be cast aside but it was extremely important to respect institutional democracy in our respective countries for bolstering positive state-to-state engagement.
“Democracy in India-Pakistan has to be participative but that participation of people cannot be extended to subjects where institutions of the state must have the last word,” Sharma said.
He underpinned the need for honest talks, exchange of ideas and sharing of problems between leaders of the two countries to keep the dialogue on track. He said that no dialogue can succeed without trust between leaderships and support of the people.
QAU IR Department Prof Dr Mujeeb Afzal said that India and Pakistan relations were a combination of contradiction and mutuality. He said that the media was of a great relevance in the entire peace process and should play a positive role for normalising relations.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2016.