Antipathy, the Ultimate Winner !!!

If one has to give an example of a Live Existing See-Saw between diplomacy and foreign policy anywhere in the world, it has to be the ties between India and Pakistan, the so called “Arch Rivals’, nations having a common origin, common history, similar way of life, virtually having high levels of antipathy & hostility towards each other.The vacillation started well before Mr.Modi took oath as the PM of India.A strong right winged Hindu nationalist individual, having been alleged to be hostile towards Muslims, taking oath as the PM of India raised several Eyebrows in Pakistan, hardly anyone would have hoped of a dialogue being started, but it did !! At least Mr.Modi inviting Mr.Nawaj Sharif along with Other SAARC nation heads excited camps from both the countries, Political Pundits and Foreign Policy analysts rose from a  period of dormancy, Political Debates flourished  with Media houses from both the countries showed off that  News Channel to  News Channel  ties in Indo-Pak being far better than people to people or Government- Government ties.

Later Indian Government called off the Foreign Secretary Level talks after the Pakistani Convoy meeting the so called “Separatists”, this was a blow to Indo-Pak ties and it followed by a year long Diplomatic Dormancy, the ice seemed to be broken on the sidelines to Ufa Summit in Russia where in both sides came in with a 207 worded comprehensive Joint Statement which I read to be intelligently drafted with effective use of words from both sides, it stated,” India and Pakistan’s nation heads had a talk in a cordial atmosphere and decided to hold talks based on Terrorism and other outstanding issues”, now these Other Outstanding issues meant Kashmir but without a direct mention of Kashmir,which was seen as an achievement on Indian Side on the other hand Mr.Sharif was critically censured in Pakistan.Nevertheless, the commitment to hold NSA level talks and Mr.Modi visiting Pakistan for SAARC Summit 2016 enthused most “peace loving” individuals throughout the world ,except some Hard-liners from both the countries.

The long anticipated NSA talks were scheduled to be held on 23rd August,and then started the High Level Drama,A child called Pakistan started crippling over its long cherished, unfulfilled ,highly ambitious desire “KASHMIR“,   just before the NSA talks Pakistan Decided that Sartaj Ajiz would meet the Hurriyat leaders in New Delhi, this was the evidence that it is not only Nawaz Sharif who is the sole decision maker in Pakistan and the fact that Pakistan has three Power Centres was reinforced with Military and Religious Groups being the other two along with the Government. Now these forces seldom would wish Peace relations with India, also the absence of Kashmir mention in Ufa was considered as a failure on Pakistan’s part which they wished  to correct, they were behaving notoriously to test India on this as it repeated the same act which had led to the cancellation of talks some months before,Pakistan has to understand it cannot be starting and ending any talks on the sole issue of Kashmir, it should understand that the talks need to get started and it can come up with its demands at least for the sake of debate later on once the atmosphere is conductive.

India played it a little safe this time initially ,but later with the Drama reaching its Climax and The Minister of External Affairs stating that talks will only be held on Terrorism, vacillations on throughout the day , with the Separatist leader detained at Delhi Airport and finally culminating into the Calling off of Talks by Pakistan, an Unfortunate Comma or Perhaps a full stop for quite some time to come.The day which was expected to be a new beginning to Indo-Pak relationship actually took it to a new low.

Now the question arises why did this happen ?  I think more than the issue based differences it is the similarities that the two country have, the way of functioning, the hard line factions, the ego tussles, the attitude to be apathetic to listen to each other and turn a deaf ear, leading to one way traffic, the vociferous Media on both sides, the electoral impact on showing a strong stand against the other to please the public, the pressure groups and of course the people of both Countries having firm belief that if they have one permanent enemy it is on the other side of the border, these are the two countries were people are taught to hate the other from childhood. The prejudice, the stereotypes, the hostility, the antipathy, the hatred, the competition, the arms race has grown to such an extent , that we consider our ego to be our Nationalism and our Patriotism , our emotions over power our Logic and we have probably surpassed the stage of a healthy debate, constructive solutions and genuine attempts to put an end to daily skirmishes.The  allegations that these two countries put on each other  are same, Pakistan and India allege each other on breaking the Cease Fire, (on our borders it is rather the Fire that never Ceases) ,the media hypes the infiltrations in both countries, India blames Pakistan of  any terrorist incidences in its territory and Pakistan blames India of supporting Terrorism in Balochistan and arising tensions through its numerous consulates in Afghanistan. When Pakistani groups talk about Jihad , some Indian factions have started talking about Hindu or Saffron Terrorism, India blames the ISI while Pakistan blames the RAW. All these never ending activities are helping no one but the Media houses and the Political Establishment in both the countries, with number of panel members in Arnab Goswami’s Cabinet and Saffronisation of India being a sure result.

The Concept of Sovereignty came up  In Europe after “the treaty of WestPhalia” putting an End to 30 years of War in Europe, a war torn region for most parts of our history has now converted itself into “ European Union” understanding the desperate need to move ahead together in this “ Era of Interdependence”. South Asia on the other hand has fragmented, in the age of Economic  and Sustainable Development, where in all SAARC countries almost facing the same problems which need to be tackled collectively are actually creating nuisance for each other, Pakistan leading the lot of course. SAARC  has always faced the Side Effects of Indo-Pak hostility. It is important to not run away from the issues of Concern but to sit together and make genuine attempt to find a Constructive Solution.When we knew this is exactly what the groups in Pakistan wanted, we should have atleast have made sure that NSA’s sit together.Now all the homework that Mr.Ajit Doval would have done with to take Pakistan NSA to task and put pressure on him; the issue to 2^nd Kasab, Gurdaspur Attack, Dawood Ebrahim’s presence in Pakistan, Mumbai Terror Trial all going into the drains,we are thus left behind with a Bigger Question who has benefitted, and Where are we heading? Is It absolute impossible to reduce the Strenuous Relations between these two Countries ? Has the Process of Peace met a Dead End ?

-always an optimist

CHINMAY DANDEKAR

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