India has been notorious for never fulfilling the tall promises and commitments it has made, especially those made with Pakistan.
This can be exemplified by the fact that the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was forced to depart from the congress due to the back stepping of the Hindus on the Lucknow Pact that resulted in his losing faith in Indian nationalism.
Similarly, the no-war pacts that were offered by it since the inception of Pakistan have been nothing but pieces of paper. According to the chief of naval staff, Admiral Noman Bashir, there was no need for a no-war pact with India as it cannot prevent war if the situation deteriorates. These sentiments are no emotional exhibition, but stem from deep-rooted historical underpinnings.
The Pakistani government and public find it hard to trust their Indian counterparts because of the fact that there is a shared history of mutual distrust which has often escalated based on sensitive circumstances. The problems surrounding the Kashmir dispute and the contravention of the Indus Water Treaty have also deepened this distrust.
The Samjhauta blast allegations, the Indian calls for resumption of dialogue, the announcement of reduction of troops in Indian-held Kashmir should be followed up with action so that the Pakistani public can see that there is room for co-operation.
Otherwise these measures will be construed as a part of the series that aim to blindfold the international community and gain sympathy. This is a two-way street and both parties must not offer only rhetoric but work towards mitigating this distrust.
SHUMAILA RAJA
Rawalpindi