India and Pakistan cooperation

India and Pakistan cooperation
| Thu, 06/09/2011 8:00 AM
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/09/letter-india-and-pakistan-cooperation.html
(This is a response to my letter of 27th May 2011)
There is a spark of hope for cordial relations between India and Pakistan if one observes the spirit behind K.B. Kale’s letter of May 27, and a positive response from Javed Nisar. Some time back I had also emphasized the same sentiments in one of my letters to The Jakarta Post.
It goes without saying that if India and Pakistan would cooperate and join hands, the South Asian region and SAARC may become one of the dominant players in world affairs and the global economy. As rightly mentioned by both the writers, people of both countries come from the same stock and share many values — language, cultural, ethnic, life styles, among others.
An unfortunate twist of history divided the subcontinent into many parts. However, now we need to move ahead and accept the fait accompli, which India and the Indians have accepted without looking back.
Both countries can contribute a lot to each other’s development through trade, cultural, technical, economic, and many other exchanges. Indian-Pakistani trade can be raised to a much higher level than the present meager amount of US$2 billion per year by conducting direct trade, rather than by circuitous routes via Dubai for example.
India has already offered MFN status to Pakistan. It will be a win-win situation for both countries, and Pakistan would need not to depend on foreign aid to boost its sagging economy. Both countries could follow the lead of Indian-Chinese trade, which is increasing by leaps and bounds (currently more than $60 billion) despite a major boundary dispute between them.
Pakistani artists are highly appreciated and respected in India, and India has offered platform to many of budding Pakistani artists through TV realty shows and Bollywood films. We may have many differences that can be solved by mutual discussions and should not interfere with good neighborly relations.
However, the devil lies in details as how to start the process. It would require a major shift in the mindset of the Pakistani leadership to consider India as a partner in peace and development rather than ‘Enemy No 1’ or existential threat.
In fact all the current problems between India and Pakistan, and also between Pakistan and the world at large, emanate from this attitude of the Pakistan leadership, especially the army, by visualizing India as a demon and concentrating and wasting all its energies and resources in fighting the imaginary demon indirectly (sometimes directly also) through explicitly and implicitly assisting and collaborating with various ‘friendly’ terrorist organizations.
The end result is that today Pakistan and its people find themselves in an unenviable situation — losing world sympathy despite heavy causalities suffered by its people and security forces. No honorable country would like to be branded as the epicenter of terrorism. The irony is that the Pakistani people in general do
not support terrorism as shown by the survey shown on a recent CNN program.
They rightly consider terrorism as their main enemy. Pakistan has unfortunately lost more than 35,000 lives in terrorist related activities, which is a heavy price to be paid for the follies of its government’s ill-advised policies.
I, like many Indians, also share the dream of Javed Nisar of hassle-free travel between all the countries in the region. Inshallah, it will happen someday with wise counsel prevailing on all sides.
Ram Bahukhandi
Jakarta
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Post Comments | Comments (2)
tariq, lahore | Fri, 10/06/2011 - 08:06am
see what they say about islam and muslims at
http://www.catholicapologetics.info/library/gallery/incorrupt/incorrupt.htm
and be angry
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Anjum, Jakarta | Thu, 09/06/2011 - 14:06pm
I must appreciate Mr Ram for writing a very thought provoking letter. It gives me immense pleasure and sense of optimism that there are genuine peace lovers trans-frontiers. Notwithstanding above, however it is difficult to understand the tone and tenor of wishing for peace and at the same time finger pointing on armed forces of Pakistan as well. There is no denying that many existing differences can be solved through mutual discussions and it will be prudent to develop cordial and friendly relations based on mutual respect and equality. What I fail to understand is that if Pakistan is mistakenly considering India as its No 1 Enemy than what is Indian cold start doctrine professing and aiming at. Well Pakistan is passing through a very difficult phase of its existence, I am very confident that with the courage and resilience of people of Pakistan, it will Inshallah prevail.
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