As the election process has been completed successfully and soon to be Prime Minister Imran Khan has started receiving telephonic congratulatory messages, from various counterparts including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi has congratulated the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI) chairman on his victory in the general elections and has expressed interest in ushering in a new era of bilateral ties. In the very first speech after election results, now that both countries have expressed eagerness, they should seriously work on resolving their issues.
A new government in Pakistan can be helpful in reviving Indo-Pak ties that have remained tense in the last couple of years despite the premiership of Nawaz Sharif, who is termed as ‘India’s man’ because of his personal contacts with many Indian trade giants and political leaders. Core issues that need to be addressed are the fate of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the water dispute, construction of Kishanganga and Rattle hydroelectric projects, the Kashmir issue, the interference of RAW in Balochistan, proliferation of nuclear weapons and cross border firing at LOC amongst others.
The situation at hand, is perfect for reviving the marred relationship between the two countries since the PathanKot incident in 2016. By many political factions, Imran Khan is termed as an establishment man and one who always looks upon the “umpire” for any decision. Furthermore, the cricketer-turned-politician- can use his personal influence as a star, what might be termed as “soft-power”. Most importantly, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, our new Foreign Minister to be, can help in strengthening bilateral ties as he has already served as the Foreign Minister from 2008-2011, during the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government.
One thing that both countries should keep in mind is that all these issues can be resolved through negotiations. War begets war; hate begets hate and indifference begets indifference. Both countries should overcome their habit of not coming to the table- Both countries should eliminate the habit of backbiting about each other, in front of other countries and find ways of cooperation instead of opposition. Exchange of bullets at the line of control should be replaced with the exchange of views. Secretary level talks should be resumed to discuss the bilateral issues along with intelligence sharing to end terrorism.
Secondly, trade ties between both countries should be improved. There are many areas including agriculture, textile and sports where strong trade ties can be developed. Moreover, the cooperation in game changing projects such as CPEC and Chahbahar port can help in minimizing tensions. All these projects can be utilized for better regional cooperation and economic development. Durable peace can only be maintained through cooperation in trade and development.
Thirdly, all humanitarian crises should be addressed on a priority basis. On both sides of the border fishermen and prisoners have been languishing in jails for many years. Every year, an updated list of these prisoners is exchanged between both countries. Instead of changing lists, both countries should focus on the exchange of innocent prisoners; as it would be a great confidence building measure.
Furthermore, we should also focus on the promotion of tourism. Many unique festivals such as the Shandur festival, Basant, Besakhi, inter-country jeep rallies and sports can help highlight great cultural wealth in Pakistan. Although General Zia-ul-Haq is credited with the introduction of cricket diplomacy, Imran Khan can do wonders in this field. As Nelson Mandela said “Sports has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope when once there was only despair”. Along with this, joint ventures by journalists and artists for the establishment of peace will also be beneficial for both countries. Artists on both sides of the border are loved by the population of both countries, and should not be banned.
In the end, I would like to say that the leaders of Naya Pakistan should take guidance from Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah whose words are as relevant today as they were seventy years ago.
The writer is staff member at Daily Times
Published in Daily Times, August 4th 2018.