Permanent confrontation and hostility between Pakistan and India will not serve the best interests of both the nations and the region. India and Pakistan fought four wars on Kashmir. No doubt Kashmir is a bone of contention between the two neighboring states. Peaceful settlement of all the major Issues including the Kashmir issue is in the best interest of both the nations.

India conducted its first nuclear test in Pokharan desert in 1974.Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests in May1998 in Chaghai, Balochistan. Since then Kashmir became a nuclear flash point between two nations. India’s continuous military advancements and installations close to Pakistani borders pushing Pakistan also to advance its conventional and non conventional capabilities.

It also reminds us about the technological, military and space race between United States and the former USSR. This is also a fact that Pakistan and India can not change their geographies. So they have to live peacefully as good neighbor for the economic and social development and for the uplift of the common man. Now both the nations have to learn from their past bitter experiences. 

It’s quite obvious that any kind of military expedition in south Asia, conventional or non conventional from any side will not serve the national interests of both the nations. Any military escalation in South Asia will not only destabilize south Asia but will also be a great threat to the whole region as well. And no doubt it will be a great threat for the international peace and security as well. 

What came out of the War of 1948, 1965, and 1971 and the Kargil crisis of 1999? It promotes an economic recession of the developing economies of both the countries. Now both countries should respect the sovereignty, integrity and the territorial boundaries of each other.

Both governments should think seriously about the poverty reduction plans and programs in south Asia. There are also many areas in India and Pakistan where people are living below the poverty line.  So rather than involving them in a military race both countries should invest in social sector development. 

Both the countries should stress the economic uplift of the common man. So instead of dreaming of becoming a Mini super power, India must learn a lesson from the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Despite having all kinds of conventional and non conventional weapons the USSR collapsed. Now both states must realize that any military adventure will not be helpful in settling the various issues including the core issue of Kashmir.

No doubt, India is world’s biggest democracy. Now the democratic regime in India should put more focus on regional-cooperation against terrorism. (especially sincere intelligence sharing with Pakistan), social, political, and economic development of the masses. 

Instead of hostility towards Pakistan, India should co-operate with Pakistan in all the outstanding issues including joint efforts against terrorism especially in the investigation of Bombay attacks. The blame game will not serve the interests of both the nations. The recent statement by Indian prime Minster is hostile toward Pakistan and it will not serve the interests of both the nations. 

Terrorism is a common threat to both India and Pakistan. Now both countries should co-operate and believe in intelligence sharing and form an intelligence sharing network. Misunderstandings and mistrust will cause a serious weakness in handling terrorism which is now affecting the growth rate of both the developing economies as well. 

We have so many issues yet to be settled with India: water disputes, Siachen Glacier, Sir creek and the core issue of Kashmir. So by co-operating co-coordinating and forming trust worthy relations we can solve all the outstanding issues including the core issue of Kashmir. Leader’s from both sides should sit to gather and should initiate a dialogue process for normalizing relations between the two nuclear neighbors. 

Regionalism can play an important role in improving the relations between the two nuclear neighbors and the regional organizations like SAARC can play an important role in enhancing more co-operations among all the countries of South Asia in various fields.

The Pakistan government has taken several positive steps towards the creation of a serious regional dialogue. A major one was the proposal to create a South Asia Nuclear Free Zone. Pakistan has also proposed discussion of other outstanding issues –The Siachen glacier, distribution of water and Kashmir.

Strong prosperous Pakistan is not only in the best interest of rest of the world but also in the best interest of India as well. Together both the states can defeat terrorism and can get rid of non state actors because these terrorists or extremists are the enemies of the both states and they want to destabilize both the states and the whole region.

Now we have seen wider effects of terrorism in Iran and few bordering areas of China (sink-kiang). Joint efforts against terrorism and extremism from all the South Asian States will be a great contribution not for the region but for the International peace and security.

Prof. Kamran James
Department of Political science
Forman Christian College
(A Chartered University) 

Other articles by Prof. Kamran James

Need For an Electoral Reforms (Prof. Kamran James)

This article was read at International Minorities Conference, 2009 Warris Road Lahore, Pakistan on Dec 12, 2009
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New Articles

Psychology of Persecuted Christians in Pakistan (Naeem Harry)

Pakistan is going through a serious moral turmoil, and Pakistani Christians are being targeted in this moral and spiritual turmoil. The continuous persecution of Christians in Pakistan is making them suffer from many psychological dis-eases. This moral turmoil is also making them suffer from spiritual distress. Their questions needs to be answered, if not answered they need to be listened, so that they are able to explore their emotional and spiritual pains.
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Matriarchal Society of Harrapa and Pakistan (Naeem Harry)

Between the years 3000 BC and 1500 BC, a unique civilization flourished in the Indus Valley that covered an area larger than modern Pakistan. This was an empire called the Harappan Empire whose people were called Dravidians. The major cities were Harappa and Mohanjodaro whose features were unique for those days because they included well- planned brick streets, drainage and large baths for ritual cleaning. Housing varied from two-room structures to large two-storied houses with courtyards.
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Reflection: - Empowering the Youth (Friar Bernard Y Bhatti OFM)

I firmly believe that the youth have a great role to play in any country, nation. It does not matter what they are, what language, color, or geographical background they come from. They have the power, energy, and potential to change and to transform their world for better or for worse.
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Divided we fall (Nasir Saeed)

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said recently that relations between the US and Pakistan had reached a turning point after the killing of Osama bin Laden and that Pakistan needed to take “decisive” steps in the days ahead to fight terrorism. As always, Pakistan is confused and divided on this and many other issues which need our urgent attention as we seek to take solid steps to resolve them. These issues have become a chronic disease but unfortunately, almost without realising, we have become involved in a blame-game and the rest of the world is looking at us amid increasing trust deficit.
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Governor's murder deepens fears of Pakistani Christians (Michael Georgy)

To understand why Pakistani Christians feel so threatened by growing Muslim extremism in their country, speak to the uniformed police guard at the jail where a Christian woman is on death row, accused of blasphemy.
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