Devising a new framework for Indo-Pak peace
Another op-ed for Express-Tribune today
Today the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India will meet. This major development should be welcomed. Sceptical noises of distrust in both countries have been heard and the Kashmiri leaders have issued rejectionist statements.
Subcontinental leaderships have time and again floundered peace. Sometimes it is the recklessness on the Pakistani side and at other times the Indian officialdom chants the trust-deficit mantra. But this must end. Media wisdom about the BJP and the Pakistan military making a durable peace deal has not withstood the test of history. Democracy and peace are interlinked despite the compulsions of playing to the jingoists for electoral gains. In Pakistan, martial rule is over and a BJP government is unlikely in the medium term.
It is time for the two governments to take stock of their fast changing societies and economies. Unlike the mediatised versions, Pakistan is a transformational society. The old governance structures are decaying and power is now distributed among multiple centres, not unlike India. This is why the foreign ministers should negotiate the lifting of media restrictions and let the two countries and their people understand each other.
The next 12 months are critical: an Afghanistan settlement has to take place, the water issue needs to be explored and Kashmir back channel negotiations have to be fast tracked. In spite of the hostilities, Pakistan-India trade exceeded $2 billion recently and the unofficial figure is even greater. There is a clear path ahead: keep talking and doing business for mutual gains.
The Pakistani state is battling against militancy on many fronts. The Indian state is dealing with the nightmare of Maoists and Naxalite insurgencies in addition to what it calls ‘cross-border terrorism’. Concurrently, the two democracies have to deliver public goods and fight poverty. They need to be resolute and develop a new framework for peace. Such a framework should involve the Pakistan Army. Our eastern borders are always a priority in our military mindset. India’s troop reduction will give confidence to the national security apparatus. The second plank of this new framework should build on the Kashmir CBMs increasing the flow of people and goods backed by [in]formal diplomatic engagement. The babus in New Delhi and Islamabad will continue to twist the files and shuffle the papers.
The third component should be exclusive focus on trade and economic cooperation. This would require exempting visas for bona fide business concerns. Across the borders, we have ready-made markets. This cannot happen in isolation unless the visa policy is creatively revised. Finally, more journalists from both sides should be allowed to break the hold of jihadis, Bollywood stereotypes and Wagah-ites from popular imagination. The information deficit is even stronger than the trust deficit. The overarching agreement should be to continue talking. This is not the time for point-scoring but redeeming our bitter histories.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2010.
read a post written by Shashikala Bhide : I paste the same here.
Quote :
Ultimately it would be Babu Bajrangi v/s. Some Mullah.
Submitted by Shashikala Bhide, 18 July 2010 – 3:28pm.
I read the column by Amulya Ganguly 4 times., and it took me 5 hours to arrange my thoughts and write ! (Today is a Sunday, hence the luxury of time).
LeT and some other mullahs are Indeed Strategic Assets to be used against India., as and when needed. Very true.
But one must not forget that during the war of 1965, Lal Bahadur Shastri had enlisted the Support of the R.S.S. to maintain the Law and Order INSIDE India. Infact RSS volunteers were policing India., and assisting Police and Military INSIDE India.
So in the event of a final showdown or war., it is natural that Pakistan would use every single weapon in its disposal. The Army in uniform., and the Afghan battle-hardened Taliban against the enemy. And why not ?
The Pakistanis perceive a threat of war from India 24×7. They are rightly justified. Gen. Sundarji (during Rajiv Gandhi’s time); disobeyed political leadership and almost took India to the brink of war. Again during Atal Behari Vajpayee’s time., the Parliament Attack (was it the work of RAW/IB, ISI/Mullah., or a combination of the 2 ?)., because it benefited both parties ! BJP became a hero., Musharraf got promoted from CEO to President ! A few hundred soldiers died on both sides, after a 11 month eye-ball to eye-ball context on the borders ! The adhesive stickers on the cars used for the attack on Indian Parliament were taken out from the MP quota stationery of Mr. L.K. Advani ! Everyone knows it ! So did Advani stage that attack on Parliament ?
BJP is very good in staging attacks., be it Parliament or Godhra and again Post-Godhra. Even in the case of 26/11 Mumbai, it is possible, that Indian Intelligence Agencies had a hand in it. Or was it Shivsena / Narendra Modi / Togadia along with some Mullah / terrorist outfit / unemployed Pakis (Outsourcing of riots)., who did the dirty job ! The mastermind of Mumbai 26/11 could well be an Indian. COuld well be Narendra Modi or Togadia ! Why not…. this incident took place before the Assembly Elections in Maharashtra !
If the new terrorist module is : BJP/RSS (Financier/Mastermind) + Mullah (supplying terrorists/ who are ready to die); then how can this be stopped ? Another Mumbai 26/11 can happen anytime ! Few Pakistanis will come., and kill and die (The current rate is Rs. 20 lakhs). Then there will be Paki-bashing on TV., and what is the max India can do ? Go for war !
So in case of war., we in India will entrust our Local Law and Order to RSS (Read Bajrangi, Aseemanand, Kalasangra; and other free DOVES); while Pakistan will do the same to its Mullahs., and utilise LeT and other Jihadi elements on the front along with its army ! This is the mindset., and this issue has to be addressed at the core.
There is no guarantee that another Mumbai 26/11 will not happen. It might happen today, tomorrow. If Narendra Modi / Togadia finance a blast(s), and there are enough men / bombers ready to die @ Rs. 20 lakh each., then in a 2-3 crore operation., there can be a blast anytime RSS feels it is POLITICALLY right timing ! This is the real danger., and the Govt. of the day cannot do a thing about it. IB/RAW Officers owe their allegiance more to RSS than the GOI, Prime Minister and the Constitution of India.
Pakistan will act against its Mullahs and LeT, when THAT fear of a war by India is removed. And India cannot remove that fear, because we have no leadership of the level of Nehru to take the public by its side. To explain to the public the advantages of peace.
As of now., 99% of Indians (if you interview them on the street) are full of hatred for every Pakistani man woman and child. When your nation has this much of hate., then options are extremely limited. India will have to reduce hatred for Pakistan first engaging with its own public. No Indian Govt. can check RSS. No Pakistan Govt. can check Mullahs/LeT. This is the reality.
Only a leader of very high stature can rise above the normal., and take the average public into confidence. Travel thru-out India and speak in a 100 public meetings., and prepare the GROUND. Without public support, which Govt. can take a firm step.
And lets suppose such a leader comes on stage (thru a divine act., though i dont see a leader of that stature); RSS can put him in his place and subvert the entire exercise by spending Rs. 2-3 crores., and having another 26/11 Mumbai., somewhere in India.
So the ball is not in the hands of the Govts of India and Pakistan. The real movers and shakers of the game are RSS and LeT. This is the reality.
I spent four years trying EVERYTHING in Online Dating, and through a huge amount of trial and error, I produced a system that I will share for you. This book will take you, step by step, through everything you need to know to double, triple or even quadruple the number of women you meet online.
I travel all around the world for work, and it used to be really lonely. Now I can go onto Tinder and have a date lined up in a new city before I even get out of the airport!
I just want to say I am all new to weblog and honestly liked you’re blog site. Likely I’m likely to bookmark your site . You really have superb article content. Thanks a lot for sharing with us your web page.
Just a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding layout.
When someone writes an article he/she retains the plan of a user in his/her mind that how a user can know it. So that’s why this paragraph is great. Thanks!|
Kurye olarak hizmet veren kişiler, bulundukları lokasyondaki her adrese en kısa sürede ulaşma yolunu bilirler. Üstelik verilen bu görevi hava, trafik ve buna benzer diğer olumsuz şartlardan etkilenmeden yerine getirirler. Yani iş hayatı başta olmak üzere hayatın hemen her alanında önemli görevleri üstlenebilir ve başarıyla yerine getirebilirler. Özellikle büyük şehirlerdeki trafik kaosu ve adres konusundaki karmaşa göze alınırsa, kurye hizmetlerinden faydalanmanın bazı durumlarda zorunlu hale geleceği anlaşılabilir. Örneğin İstanbul’un bir noktasından diğer bir noktasına acil şekilde önemli bir evrak ulaştırmak gerektiğinde ya da hastanızın ihtiyacı olan ilacı acil ve güvenli bir şekilde ulaştırmak gerektiğinde, İstanbul moto kurye hizmetimizden faydalanarak sorununuza çözüm üretebilirsiniz.
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice even as you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a weblog site? The account aided me a appropriate deal. I were tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast provided vivid transparent concept|
It’s remarkable to visit this web site and reading the views of all colleagues about this article, while I am also eager of getting knowledge.|
Hiya very nice web site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally? I’m satisfied to find so many useful information here in the post, we need work out more techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .|
I’m gone to tell my little brother, that he should also pay a visit this web site on regular basis to take updated from latest information.|
I am really grateful to the holder of this website who has shared this great paragraph at at this place.|
If you are going for best contents like myself, only pay a quick visit this web site all the time as it provides feature contents, thanks|
It’s remarkable to pay a quick visit this web page and reading the views of all colleagues on the topic of this piece of writing, while I am also eager of getting experience.|
It’s fantastic that you are getting thoughts from this post as well as from our discussion made at this place.|
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Generally I do not learn article on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice article.
After I originally commented I appear to have clicked on the
-Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the
exact same comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove me from that service?
Appreciate it!
Some really quality articles on this web site , saved to fav.
I genuinely enjoy examining on this internet site , it holds fantastic content . “Sometime they’ll give a war and nobody will come.” by Carl Sandburg.
Very interesting info!Perfect just what I was looking for!
Perfectly pent articles, Really enjoyed looking through.
I dugg some of you post as I cogitated they were very beneficial very useful
Regards for helping out, superb info .
I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.
Hello there, just was aware of your blog through Google, and located that it’s really informative. I’m going to be careful for brussels. I’ll appreciate in the event you proceed this in future. Many folks will likely be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!
I was just looking for this information for some time. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your web site. I wonder what is the lack of Google strategy that don’t rank this kind of informative web sites in top of the list. Usually the top sites are full of garbage.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you helped me.
I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!
Thankyou for helping out, excellent info .
Absolutely written written content , thankyou for information .
Furthermore, i believe that mesothelioma cancer is a rare form of cancers that is usually found in people previously familiar with asbestos. Cancerous tissues form inside mesothelium, which is a protecting lining that covers many of the body’s areas. These cells ordinarily form inside the lining with the lungs, abdominal area, or the sac which encircles one’s heart. Thanks for giving your ideas.
Great – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task.
I truly appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thank you again!
Thanks so much for giving everyone an extraordinarily breathtaking possiblity to discover important secrets from this website. It can be so pleasurable plus jam-packed with a good time for me personally and my office peers to visit your blog at a minimum three times weekly to study the new secrets you have. And indeed, I’m also usually happy considering the attractive concepts you give. Certain 4 areas in this article are really the very best we have ever had.
Hey there, You’ve done a great job. I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I’m sure they will be benefited from this website.
As soon as I detected this web site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
Magnificent site. Lots of helpful info here. I’m sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you on your sweat!
I am just commenting to let you be aware of what a outstanding experience my child undergone studying your webblog. She figured out a lot of things, most notably how it is like to possess a wonderful teaching style to make other individuals without difficulty know precisely several complex subject matter. You truly exceeded my expected results. I appreciate you for churning out those warm and friendly, trustworthy, educational and in addition fun guidance on the topic to Mary.
You made some good points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most people will approve with your website.
I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
I just couldn’t depart your site prior to suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the usual info an individual provide on your guests? Is gonna be again regularly to check up on new posts.
I¡¦ve read some good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how so much attempt you put to make such a magnificent informative site.
I truly appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again!
Merely wanna tell that this is extremely helpful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
I got what you mean , appreciate it for posting .Woh I am pleased to find this website through google. “Being intelligent is not a felony, but most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor.” by Lazarus Long.
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was looking for!