Sometimes, breakthroughs come from unexpected places. That a dramatic shift in visa policy by New Delhi to allow visa on arrival for elderly Pakistanis would happen under the watch of the Modi Administration (on the heels of a rollercoaster election campaign) is, for the lack of a better word, too-good-to-be-true. The story has yet to develop from the level of speculation, still deemed enough to trigger a buzz on networking platforms, with people from both sides celebrating a much-needed leap towards normalisation of Pak-India ties. A quick search does indicate that perhaps, this time again, the forces of fake news got the better of us, as such an agreement, although signed in 2013, was suspended soon afterwards. Nevertheless, the foreign ministries of both countries would do well to read the public’s mood before announcing a denial. It cannot be forgotten how heightened tensions in the recent past will add to the challenges obstructing any such inclination, considering it was only weeks ago that PM Modi had created a furore with his naked hatred towards anything and everything related to Pakistan. Nevertheless, the momentum of Indian diplomacy moving to ensure a peaceful border with China can be used to argue the utility of greater people-to-people linkages, which would only help to break the ice between these estranged neighbours. Strategic analysts, in their haste to credit the military prowess, often ignore the role of these linkages in blunting the narrative. Have we forgotten how cricket diplomacy had once pulled back the two countries from the brink of war or the nervous smile of Attal Bihari Vajpayee when he defied the hardliners to create the biggest act of detente in 1999? Because the mainstream media is too focused on the bigger, juicier bits, one only needs to take a stroll in the social media alleys to learn about heartwarming reunions and warm embraces between long-lost friends. No matter how strained the ties may be, there should be a minimum point agenda to which we can agree. Letting the doors open for those who wish to see their birthplaces, relive their childhood or have one last chance of finding their loved ones is an act of kindness. Nothing else. Nothing more. *