Pakistan and India are initiating talks later this month. The future of the talks would depend much on the attitude of the permanent establishments in the two countries. An earlier attempt to revive the talks, made in July 2009 at Sharm Al Sheikh, was foiled by the security establishment in India in collaboration with a chauvinistic section of the Indian media. As indicated by the WikiLeaks, while Manmohan Singh was keen to resume the talks, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan opposed the move and the prime minister isolated in his inner circle was restrained from moving ahead. The PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif maintains that the Kargil operation was launched, among other things, to derail the peace process initiated as a result of his talks with Vajpayee. Similarly, a terrorist network brought to a halt the composite dialogue that had narrowed some of the major differences between Pakistan and India. The spokesman of Pakistan Foreign Office has underlined the need for uninterruptible peace process with India. The revelations by Swami Aseesanand indicate the terrorists are not confined to Pakistan alone. There is a need for both sides to eradicate terrorist networks if peace process has to flourish.
A number of developments have taken place since February when Pakistan and India announced they were resuming peace talks. Early this month Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was approaching the new peace talks with Pakistan with an open mind, saying all disputes including Kashmir would be discussed. President Zardari on Friday stressed the need for dialogue with India. The statement has come ahead of a crucial meeting of the Home and Interior Secretaries of India and Pakistan in New Delhi on March 28-29 to mark the resumption of their stalled peace process. Meanwhile, Interpol chief Ronald Noble has reveled the foiling of a plot with the help of Pakistan to disrupt the World Cup.
Whatever the nature of their differences and the amount of mistrust, Pakistan and India are close neighbours who can in no way wish each other away. What is needed is to work together to resolve the outstanding differences between them. For this the two sides need to take up the talks from where these were left in 2008.
