Daily Times

The Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi has sent a congratulatory message to Mr Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on his party’s success in the elections. He expressed the hope that under Imran Khan’s leadership Pakistan’s relations with India would improve and both leaders will use the resources of their countries to improve the lives of millions toiling poverty and deprivation in South Asia.

Mr Imran Khan has endorsed the views expressed by the Indian Prime Minister Mr Modi and assured him that he would do his level best to improve the political and economic relations between the two countries. Imran Khan, as everyone knows, is very popular in India especially amongst the youth and educated class. Even his old friends in cricket think that under Imran’s leadership India and Pakistan would enjoy good neighbourly relations, and would resolve the nagging issues polluting the relations between the two countries.

The past government of Mr. Nawaz Sharif was also interested in improving these, but he was more interested in doing business with Indian businessmen, on a personal basis. His sons, it is alleged, have been doing business in London earning huge profits without promoting the interests of Pakistan. The behaviour of their father, the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif- who has been disqualified on corruption charges- also amounts to open rebellion against state institutions as well as the judiciary.

Besides the Kashmir conflict, the most pressing, rather menacing, issue is that of poverty which is common in both countries; millions have been living under extreme poverty with no sign of imminent improvement in their lives. This abject deprivation is forcing them to join the ranks of terrorist groups. These radical Islamist groups are threatening the peace and development of both India and Pakistan

Some well informed persons say that Nawaz Sharif adopted the course of confrontation at the behest of India, as all his narratives during his protest march on GT Road were full of venom against the army and the judiciary. Hence he was given undue publicity in the Indian newspapers and electronic media.

However, the political scene in Pakistan has changed; Imran Khan is not a businessman like Nawaz Sharif. He will try to foster good relations with India on national basis emphasised upon resolving issues such as Kashmir, a legacy of the partition, which has been a bone of contention between the two countries for the last seventy years.

To my mind Mr Modi also wants the Kashmir problem to be solved with a consensus which is acceptable to both the countries, as well as the Kashmiris. The people of occupied Kashmir have been fighting the Indian occupation for many decades and bear marks of the atrocities committed by the Indian army, against them. However, the road to peace with India is going to be difficult to navigate; as there are many non-state actors both in Pakistan and India who will try to hinder the process of diplomatic compromise between the two countries.

Besides the Kashmir conflict, the most pressing, rather menacing, issue is that of poverty which is common in both the countries; millions have been living under extreme poverty with no sign of imminent improvement in their lives. This abject deprivation is forcing them to join the ranks of terrorist groups. These radical Islamist groups are threatening the peace and development of both these nations.

The chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has already conveyed to the Indian prime minister that while engaging with him for developing peaceful conditions in South Asia, he would also join hands to fight and eliminate poverty from this region.

We have to avoid war at all costs as it pushes people further into dire poverty. Therefore to my mind Imran Khan who knows Mr Modi very well, and has met him in India in the past would cultivate good political and economic relations with India, in the larger interests of the people of South Asia.

The writer is freelance columnist

Published in Daily Times, August 6^th 2018.