Welcome words

Good results are what we need most of all in ties between Pakistan and India.

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s remarks stating that both Pakistan and India sought good ties with each other, and that both he and Mian Nawaz Sharif wanted to work towards a closer relationship, signal the way that lies ahead. We must hope the leaders from both nations succeed in walking calmly down it, laying down solid foundations of peace as they do so.



This process will, of course, take time, but possessing strong will would be an important factor along the way. Prime Minister Singh, talking after completing a visit to nations in the Far East, made it clear that both he and Mr Sharif shared a common vision as far as this was concerned. He said both the heads of government had invited each other to their respective countries and he hoped these trips would materialise soon. It may be recalled that Mr Sharif had said that he would consider inviting the Indian prime minister to his inauguration, but Dr Singh had suggested a trip across the border a little later down the line, which may yield better results. Good results are, of course, what we need most of all on this front. With elections in India due to take place next year, one hopes that the incoming government in New Delhi is also inclined towards peace and closer cooperation on several fronts.

The fact is that both nations and their people would benefit tremendously from less acrimony. The friction we saw after the Mumbai siege of 2008 set us back a long way. The movement forward has begun again, but momentum needs to be picked up. It must be hoped the good intentions expressed by the Indian head of government will help in this. Improved trade links could alone help people in both lands. Easier visa procedures to enable people to meet are also imperative. For Pakistan, caught in its own net of problems, looking towards India could help us rediscover the wider South Asian whole that is so important a part of our history and culture. This, in itself, could help build tolerance and harmony. The Indian prime minister’s words are then significant, both for us as a nation and for the region as a whole. They must be taken forward so that the vision both leaders share can be transformed into reality.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2013.                                                                                          

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