Yet another chapter in cricket diplomacy has come to an end. Responding positively to the Indian leaders invitation, Prime Minister Gilani travelled to Mohali to watch the semi-final clash between the two arch-rivals and engage his counterpart in bilateral talks on the sidelines. In spite of statements generally reflecting the two leaderships desire to establish lasting peace in the region, the relationship remains mired in deep-set mistrust that dates back sixty-three years. Subsequent events have not helped the two countries bury the hatchet and get on course to providing relief to their suffering and impoverished people.
What needs to be understood in the context of India-Pakistan relations is that such sporadic overtures may contribute somewhat to improving the mutual environment for undertaking negotiations, but they do not provide a substitute for consistent hard work directed at finding a lasting solution to the lingering reservations that the two sides have nurtured through decades. The way to move forward is through an intensive and extensive process of dialogue and addressing the entire palette of problems.
While Pakistan has been consistent in pleading for the resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries suspended since the Mumbai attacks, it is India that has shown reservations insisting that the perpetrators of terrorism should first be prosecuted. A way could have been found to address this, but it is the web of insinuations that India continues to weave around the incident which has made progress extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Concurrently, it is Indias apparent refusal to address the cardinal problem of Kashmir that further complicates the process of a productive dialogue. Khurshid Kasuri, the former foreign minister, has maintained a consistently distinct view of the matter. According to him, Pakistan and India were very close to resolving all their outstanding disputes including Kashmir, Sir Creek and Siachin. He also emphasises the need that, instead of going to the beginning, the two sides should start from where the negotiations were left off: If the leadership of Pakistan were to improve its credibility through better governance, the chances of re-starting the process of dialogue would be facilitated. Then, they could push the 85% already accomplished to a full 100%. He goes on to claim that the two governments are aware of each others red lines. Five to six people on either side are fully in the picture as to the nature and extent of progress made in the matter. He adds smilingly: I dont mind if the current government puts its own tag on the progress that has already been made in resolving the bilateral disputes, a record of which is available with the governments of the two countries.
As proof of this, he cites President Zardaris over-enthusiastic and untimely claim that he made immediately after his swearing-in that the nation would soon hear the good news about the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He said so while addressing a joint press conference with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan in Islamabad.
One critical factor that Mr. Kasuri cites for the progress achieved with India was the internal harmony in the country: Everyone was on the same page. There were no discordant notes with regard to either the direction of the overall effort, or its possible consequences. Mumbai attacks may have derailed the process, but there is no reason why the good work done in the past cannot lead to the elusive solution to the problems that have pushed the two countries to waste their resources in the past.
But, a solution cannot be found through an on-now, off-now approach. It would come through a consistent espousal of the cause of peace by the two countries. No one issue, no matter how grave, should be used as an excuse to derail the peace journey. Instead, it should only provide further incentive to continue and strengthen the process of engagement and dialogue. Conversely, a mindset given to finding alibis for failure would only add further incense to the fires of hatred and animosity.
In essence, the prospect of peace between India and Pakistan is a challenge for the sagacity of the two leaderships. Any prospective solution should also effectively address the critical concerns that Pakistan has continually nurtured, and not without reason, regarding the hegemonic intentions of its neighbour that is almost five times its size. That is why a larger share of responsibility would rest on the shoulders of the Indian leadership as it would need to carry a smaller neighbour along. This would not be accomplished by pushing some issues under the rug, or by brandishing the big-brother image. It would come about through addressing all outstanding issues threadbare to the satisfaction of the two countries. As a test to that approach, India should concede the centrality of the Kashmir dispute and should express its willingness to work for a solution with an open mind. Going by what Mr. Kasuri has to say, considerable progress had been achieved in that direction. The need is to build on it without further loss of time.
The cricket diplomacy may provide another opening for reason to take charge and push the way towards finding a permanent solution to the existing problems. While Mr. Gilani stressed on the desire to focus on the need to dealing with our common enemy inflation, poverty, hunger, disease and unemployment for prosperity of the two countries, Prime Minister Singh said that India and Pakistan should be working together to find cooperative solutions and need permanent reconciliation to live together in dignity and honour. He added: We should put our ancient animosities behind us to attend to the problems of our nations.
High-sounding rhetoric it may be, but the mutuality of feelings is the best beginning that a cricket match at Mohali could have provided. The need is to follow up on this urgently by the two leaderships with a conviction to realise the ideals of progress and prosperity for the suffering people of the two neighbouring countries.
The writer is a media consultant to the Chief Minister, Punjab.
