A momentary encounter between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the World Climate Conference in Paris and the unscheduled meeting of the security advisers of the two countries in Bangkok seems to have ultimately broken the ice. Sushma Swaraj, India’s External Affairs Minister landed in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on December 8 to attend the ‘Heart of Asia Conference’ that kicked off here on December 9, 2015. Much to the pleasure and surprise of people on both sides of the divide, she announced resumption of the stalled composite bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan. Sushma Swaraj made this announcement at a joint press briefing held after signing of a joint communiqué between India and Pakistan.
The decision to resume the stalled talks between the two countries was taken after her two-hour-long talks with PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and formal meetings between the key foreign policy officials of India and Pakistan. It is said that the talk process will now resume with a new name ‘Comprehensive Composite Dialogue’.
According to a joint communiqué issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue would cover issues like peace and security, confidence building measures (CBMs), Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, trade and economics, counterterrorism, narcotics control, humanitarian issues, people-to-people exchanges and religious tourism. It has been mutually agreed that the foreign secretaries of the two countries would now work out the modalities and schedule of meetings under the comprehensive dialogue.
India’s decision to resume the stalled bilateral talks is indeed a good omen for both countries. It has generated a glimmer of hope among people belonging to every segment of the society in India and Pakistan. The initiative taken by India to discuss all pending bilateral issues, including the long-pending core issue of Kashmir and Siachen, is truly a significant step. If sincere attempts are made to resolve the Kashmir issue, that continues to be a bone of contention between the two countries since independence, nothing could stop the two important neighbors of the South Asian region from reaping the benefit of cordial and mutually beneficial bilateral relations. A climate of peace and amity between the two countries is the need of the hour. Needless to say, if this vital objective is attained successfully it would bring significant socio-economic progress and political stability not only to India and Pakistan but also to the other countries of the region.
M FAZAL ELAHI
Islamabad
