Mending Indo-Pak relations

Better late than never, goes the oft repeated axiom. Indo-Pak logjam can be unlocked by relegating more knotty irritants to the backburner and taking up such areas as would immensely contribute to the easing of tense situation. This is the age of possible and trials. When grave obstructions stonewall relations, it is common sense that alternatives have to be discovered. Since long India has been proposing that two countries focus their attention on trade, commerce, tourism technology and a host of other areas in which the two countries can benefit through collaboration.

It is heartening that Pakistan Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khan has, in his speech to IIC in New Delhi, adopted realistic and pragmatic attitude towards relations with India. It is for the first time that the Pakistani guest has spoken as a resolute statesman who looks at things from the point of view of a visionary. World community had been impressing upon the rulers of Pakistan not to get bogged down with what they called "core issues" but circumvent them for the time being and address such areas as are among the possible. The example of European Union would be extremely useful if the two countries could emulate it. The point is that there should be a realisation on either side of the magnitude of trade that could be generated if relations were normal. On the face of it a country of just 20 crore of people will be able to have mindboggling quantum of trade with a country of 120 crore people.

 In literal sense one may say what Minister Khan has said is tantamount to offering olive branch to India. He has listed dozens of areas in which Pakistan is willing to cooperate. The most important and first steps in the path of widening trade relations are of connectivity, communication facility, banking facility and trade and tourist travels by stakeholders. This is the age of technology and technology has been inducted into trade and commerce on a massive scale. Therefore the prerequisites have to be made available. This huge task has to be assigned to Indo-Pak Working Group which can formulate policy on bilateral level to be implemented in stages and with clear objectives.

The two countries need to harness their resources, manpower and technical know-how collectively and seek markets for their finished products. It should be possible to open banks in each country to promote brisk delivery and transactions. If Wagah is accepted as the trading point, obviously a new vista of bilateral trade will open. Trade relations are antidote to suspicions and doubts misunderstandings and misconceptions. Imagine what we are talking about. Overall, India-Pakistan trade is worth USD 3 billion and the industry wants that all efforts should be made to increase it to USD 10 billion in the next three years. If this target is achieved, it will be a record in the history of transactions in the Indian sub-continent. We see a cogent point in Pakistani Minister saying that let us not get bogged down with terminology like MFN etc. But try to give new direction and new meaning to Indo-Pak bilateral trade by defining it as trade on just and equal basis. The two countries have elaborately established trade system that caters to regional and international requirements. Indo-Pak trade can be brought under that umbrella and international rules for bilateral or even multilateral basis can be promoted.

Minister Khan very subtly conveyed to his Indian counterparts that there was a changed thinking in Pakistan about relationship with India. One realisation was that hate India psychosis would do more harm to Pakistan than to India and that is the reason why Pakistan did not play the hate-India card during the elections which has thrown up Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister. It means that Nawaz Sharif's Government wants to carry forward this India reconciliation policy more vigorously. Therefore it is obvious that India must respond to the sentiment with equal earnestness. 

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Courtesy: The Daily Excelsior: 18th January, 2014