India-Pakistan relations are stuck in the history of 1947. leaders of both countries have to break new ground
The spectre of elusive normalcy contours India-Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements. For example, during the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Nawaz Sharif was in New Delhi to share a fleeting bonhomie with his counterpart. However, the actual warmth between the two countries was shocking as officials from both the sides were consistently shuddering to bear the truth in action.
Noticeably, the distracted diplomatic outcomes are the result of a fragile institutional framework that allows ‘personified diplomatic approaches' to hover over the heads and falsify actual aspirations. This keeps the fog intact or rather makes it denser — and the real recovery of ‘lost trust' remains a pipe dream for idealists who see situations from a fringe position. The ‘legacy factor' adds complexities in the tense neighbourhood of India-Pakistan. A series of apparent historical blunders has kept at bay any chance of course-correction.
One of the reasons for a deteriorating bilateral relation between the two countries is the terseness of sincerity in recognising the crucial points — which rarely makes it on to the high diplomatic table. The past is replete with instances where ‘non-issues' were accorded prominence over the ‘core issues' that were finally lost into oblivion. Now close to seven decades, India-Pakistan dialogues have maintained that indifference, which ensures a wide gulf between efforts and goals. Hence, everything is blurred — thanks to the non-thinking policymakers and their escapist endeavours.
Hans Morgenthau, a realist theorist in International Relations had written in his seminal book, Politics Among Nations, “The notion of rising Asia may well in the long-run, carry the gravest implications for the rest of the world”. He further added, “In Asia, the nations with space, natural resources and great masses of men are just beginning to use political power, modern technology — especially in the nuclear field, which until recently have been a virtual monopoly of the West. This is the state of affairs in the ‘rising blocks of power' in Asia.”
Indeed, Morgenthau was right in his findings. International politics is a struggle for power. This defines the current directionless standing of India-Pakistan relations, where, now, even the flow of ‘easy sloganeering' has stopped surfacing. Naturally, the real action is nowhere!
Amidst hibernating ties, a possible resumption of cricket terms and the Islamic State's threat of sourcing nuclear capabilities from Pakistan are making big news in India. Sadly, cricket has already reached a level of absurdity in South Asia, where this game is more leaned towards ‘betting' than providing a healthy dose of entertainment to the desperate followers who have many things to escape beyond cricket.
Another point of potential diplomatic negotiation can be the ‘safety of nuclear arsenals' in Pakistan — this has a greater chance to get wider attention, as the West is more eager to seek another round of ‘policy and surveillance prerogative' in Pakistan. Mr Sharif is a man of big events, who maintains a placid demeanour that keeps Pakistan's Army and intelligence networks to have an extra share in the executive authority. This is perilous and cannot be termed new or normal for Pakistan's improbable democracy.
The Islamic State is an ideology-free terror outfit that is at war to malign the basic tenets of Islam and annihilate trust in humanity. It is a social and religious evil — and its eyeing for Pakistan's nuclear capacity should worry all — including Pakistan. Pakistan cannot afford any laxity when it comes to the advances from the IS — the worst it has already suffered on the count of blind cycles of terror on its land, which has engulfed countless lives and materialistic prospects. Moreover, it has created a doubtful impression about its commitment for keeping its democracy free from adulteration.
Now, Pakistan must share India's concern over terrorism — this will serve its own interest too. First, it shall ensure full safety of its nuclear facilities and in non-transferable mode to not enter into an endless phase where it will be forced to live in the painful surveillance of the powerful blocks, including the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Second, it should re-invent the constructive use of its democracy instead of mocking it in the hands of military or corrupt regimes.
A sizeable populace of Pakistan has aspirations for modernism and its attributes — but they live suffocated and certainly do not wish their kids to grow in the culture where the mix of rotten feudalism, corrupt bureaucracy, interfering military and headless democracy is easily pouring venom.
Unlike India, where there are problems of a different kind, Pakistan is heavily burdened to save its democracy that really has a tenuous existence with many odds on the way. To go beyond the usual frame of diplomatic engagements with India, it should come free and fare on the valid concerns shared by India — remarkably, its own interest is not devoid from it. No one wants a Peshawar-like incident (except morons). And, thus, there is no point in trusting the shadow of terror, sans conscience.
At times, it also overlooks to perform selective offence. Pakistan should come hard on terror and abstain hosting it in any form. There is no point in refuting the facts on how badly Pakistan has been faring on this. For course correction, this is the right time.
Silence doesn't make any sense even in household disputes — leave alone when it concerns matters beyond borders, which separated their hearth bitterly and through massive bloodsheds in 1947. Since 1947, not much has changed in the sub-continent, alas! There is little indication that some of this will change in the near future.