Prime Minister Imran Khan responded to the mostly warm letter sent by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Pakistan Day by reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to peace and “cooperative relations” with all. The response took a relatively long time — a full week — which may not have been the best course of action, considering that this may have been an opening for a thaw in relations. At the same time, the response itself was well thought-out, repeating some of the same language in Mod’s letter while implicitly criticising the decline of political and personal freedoms in India.
“The people of Pakistan commemorate this Day by paying tribute to the wisdom and foresight of our founding fathers in envisioning an independent, sovereign state where they could live in freedom and realise their full potential,” Imran wrote. He also referenced the Kashmir dispute, saying its resolution is of “particular” importance in bringing “durable peace and stability” in the region. The rest of the letter — like Modi’s — was pleasantries and supportive language regarding the other country’s efforts to tackle the Covid-19 coronavirus.
The exchange of letters has significance beyond their contents. It is the first direct public communication exchange between the leaders of both countries since a ceasefire was agreed upon earlier this month. That ceasefire has held remarkably well, and threatening language employed by top elected and military officials on either side of the border has also been replaced by cautiously optimistic language. Modi’s letter also arrived just a few days after Imran gave a speech in which he said “India would have to take the first step” and initiate dialogue, barring which “we cannot move ahead”. Keep in mind that Imran had previously said that if India took one step forward, Pakistan would take two.
Whether or not policy planners regard the letter as a ‘first step’ remains to be seen, but it is most certainly movement in the right direction. We may be well away from a resolution to the Kashmir issue or even a face-to-face meeting between Modi and Imran, but maybe lower-level officials can begin meeting to discuss ‘easier’ issues. Vaccine acquisition could be a very easy place to start.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2021.
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