The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Softly does it in India-Pakistan ties

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 18, 2005

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Opinion - Editorials

Softly does it in India-Pakistan ties

Sunday's summit between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has set a new benchmark for political interaction between the two countries. Not only was the tone and tenor of the interaction exceptionally positive; the two principals and their delegations also managed to generate specific outcomes on a number of issues. Dr. Singh and General Musharraf set a new date for the resumption of train services between Rajasthan and Sindh and examined the possibility of fast-tracking the ongoing dialogue under a few heads, such as Siachen and Sir Creek. The proposal to revive the Joint Commission on economic and trade issues, which last met in 1989, and the resolve to strengthen the activities of the private sector-led Joint Business Council, are most promising. In the meeting, Dr. Singh stressed the need for India and Pakistan to work together for the economic prosperity of South Asia so that the region could emerge as a dynamic pole in Asia and the world. It is reassuring that despite the negative pressure exerted by the United States on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the two leaders have reiterated their intention to pursue the strategic project.

As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, both sides seem comfortable with the newly emerged shared vocabulary of soft borders. Dr. Singh reiterated his position that there could be no redrawing of boundaries but pointed out that the removal of restrictions on the movement of people and goods across those boundaries could help make them less and less of a problem. The Pakistani side is happy to go along with this conceptually but believes that outstanding political differences must be addressed within a reasonable time frame. Soft borders are clearly the way forward on Kashmir: the frequency of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus is to be increased and the two Governments are examining the possibility of opening more routes within the divided State for the movement of passengers and, eventually, even goods. For détente to maintain its momentum, India and Pakistan need to generate concrete outcomes in areas that can make a material difference to peoples' lives, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. In nature as well as in politics, quantitative changes often give rise to qualitative ones. General Musharraf can take quiet satisfaction from the sea change that has occurred in the Indian political and public mood since his July 2001 visit to New Delhi and Agra; and also from the well-merited reversal of cricket fortunes since the Indian team made a triumphal visit to Pakistan in March-April 2004. It is only in the fitness of things that Islamabad, which in the past has seen CBMs as a trap that might compromise its basic position on the "core issue," should come around to appreciating the big difference enhanced economic, cultural, and political interactions and people-to-people contacts can make to the environment surrounding the quest for a final solution, which nobody expects will come in the conceivable future.

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