The relationship between India and Pakistan are essentially ego based without the latter realising that they aren't considered equal to this country, either by India or by the rest of the world.
After attaining independence, both the countries have progressed - I would frankly say that Pakistan has regressed, instead - to their present positions. Democratic India has made great strides in all fields though we'd have liked the achievements to be greater while Pakistan, a theocratic state, does not have many achievements to boast of. Moreover, the following policies have skewed their development further:-
(a) The armed forces have a say in the policies of the government, which has an India-centric agenda
and they can go to absurd lengths - consider the detonation of their nuclear bombs on the heels of
the highly successful Indian experiment! It was followed by their pitiable request to the US to sign
a nuclear deal on the lines of the Indo-US agreement!
(b) There has been many occasions when they've expelled/deported Indian diplomats as a tit for tat
for the Indian expulsions, based on proven misdemeanour of their personnel.
(c) Zia-ul-Haq's strategy of avoiding direct confrontation and bleeding India through a thousand cuts
brought them to hobnobbing with terrorists outfits like the Taliban, which now threatens the survival of their own society!
(d) The economy is in a shambles and they have got the tag of being a 'rogue nation' and even that of a
'failed state'. The irony of it all is that the nation, dangerously careening into anarchy, is seeking to
get the prosperous Kashmir into their fold! Isn't it a big joke?
The Pakistani High Commissioner's misdemeanour, in calling the Hurriyat separatists for talks, prior to the official talks scheduled between the two countries had to be roundly condemned. I was amazed to hear an ex-Indian diplomat bemoaning that the calling of of talks has been a twad too abrupt and he went on to say that the Foreign Secretaries had already worked out the modality and minor irritants should have been glossed over. For a moment I even had serious doubts about his loyalty, pardon me for my ignorance on foreign policy niceties!
Ever since, I've been trying to conjure up the scenario and here's one that I could think of, that, always took place before major talks viz.:-
(a) The governments of India and Pakistan agree to have a dialogue between, say, the two Foreign
Secretaries, a month from now.
(b) Heavy shelling all across the LoC and a series of ceasefire violations become the order of the
day during the run up to the talks.
(c) Meanwhile, the Paki High Commissioner in India, contributes his mite to add to the vitriolic
confusion by calling the separatists for talks.
(d) The Foreign Secretaries meet, mouth platitudes amid diplomatic luncheon and useless photo
opportunities.
(e) There's an abrupt cessation of all hostilities at the LoC so that both the parties claim success of the
talks!
Whom are we trying to kid? Why do we put wool into our own eyes? Aren't we interested in a lasting solution so that we can concentrate our energies on other developmental activities?
Tailpiece.
It would be in the interest of Pakistan that all the well meaning people of that country got together and revamped their outlook, to begin with. And for starters, their armed forces should shed their India-centric stance, get back to the barracks in toto and nurture true democracy, for a change!
No comments:
Post a Comment