National 3 (Spotlight Weekly)

Positive Indications

With the completion of the 12th SAARC summit, the region enters into a new phase of improved relations

By A CORRESPONDENT

Although it was dramatic and unbelievable, India and Pakistan - the two traditional rivals of South Asia – have decided to push forward their quest for new friendship.

Thanks to the personal initiative taken by Indian prime minister and Pakistani president Parvez Musharraf at the background of 12th SAARC Summit, the two South Asian countries have steadily moved towards the normalization of their relations.

Although there are skeptics in the both sides, the newfound friendship seems to be heading towards the positive direction. Indian deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani has made it clear that the new development in the Indo-Pak relations will be the agenda for the next elections in India.

Indian deputy prime minister Advani’s announcement surprised many. Since Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the track record of using anti-Pakistani statements to lure the voters, the decision to make the improved relations with Pakistan as elections agenda has come as a sweet surprise to regional observers.

“This is a good beginning to change the fate of over a billion population of South Asia because the improved relations between India and Pakistan will have significant impact on entire South Asia,” said an analyst.

Some see this as merely an election propaganda of India’s ruling BJP but others take it differently. “In a democratic country like India, it is difficult to retreat the matter once political parties take the issue in public,” said the analyst. “India and Pakistan have international image as well as credibility at stake here.”

Although Indian and Pakistani sides claim that the newfound friendship resulted from their own efforts, observers point out the frequent shuttles made by the US and other western leaders between Islamabad and New Delhi could have played key role. “Besides, after a couple of attempts against the life of Pakistani president Musharraf by Islamic extremists, Indian strategic mandarins might have realized how difficult it would be to deal with nuclear Pakistan under the extremists and sans Musharraf,” said an analyst.

Those observers who have seen smoothening of relations followed by its derailment to the point of war, suspect that the present pace of tranquility would last for many years. “India and Pakistan have a history of short peace and long rivalry as we have seen India’s role in breaking Pakistan in 1971 and other many skirmishes. I don’t believe that this will lead to permanent peace,” said another analyst.

Unlike the cold war, international scenario has drastically changed. Following the 9/11 and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, every country in the world has found itself to be vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

At a time when the resourceful and organized world’s only super power the United States has been struggling hard to contain the Al Qaeda terrorism, it will be impossible for countries like India and Pakistan to deal with such organizations on their own.

If new strategy is guided against the terrorism, whole South Asians can expect to see drastic changes within a couple of years. India - which is trying to benefit by ignoring terrorism in smaller neighbors like Nepal - will also be compelled to change its present policy then.

In the 12th Summit of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, the countries of the region have also signed a common resolution to control the terrorism.

Whether through the CPN-UML leader Ishwor Pokharel’s disclosure or general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal’s meeting with Maoist leaders in Lucknow, India’s prime minister’s constituency, events have already exposed the drama before the international community.

The improved relations between India and Pakistan will definitely have positive implications on the regional politics. For Nepal, it could take few more years to see the return of tranquility and normalcy.