Round The World

New Delhi, 11 September 2012

Krishna and Khar

IS A TANGO POSSIBLE?

By Obja Borah Hazarika

Research Scholar, School of International Studies (JNU)

Is a tango between India and Pakistan possible? A question being debated,  following  External Affairs Minister SM Krishna’s three-day visit to Islamabad last week which culminated in a liberalised visa agreement, cultural pact and a joint statement taking note of budding cooperation between the two countries in several areas. Notwithstanding, the Minister’s assertion that not much was expected prior to his trip.

Importantly, the new Visa Agreement signed by Krishna and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik liberalised the bilateral visa regime and aimed to improve people-to-people contacts between the neighbours. It not only eased travel of business persons, tourists, pilgrims, elderly and children but also introduced a new category of group tourism. Whereby, persons above 65 years would be issued visa on arrival and enables visitors to stay in five cities during one visit, allowing alteration in their mode of travel. Towards that end, it set a 45-day deadline for both missions to decide applications.

In addition, during his extensive talks with President Zardari and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, both Foreign Ministers decided that cross-LoC travel would be expanded to include visits for tourism and pilgrimage.  And agreed to extend assistance to valid entry permit-holders to cross the LoC in emergency situations. A pleasant development was Islamabad releasing all Indian fishermen in its jails as a goodwill gesture of Krishna’s visit. Asserted Khar, this is the first step towards normalisation of relations with India.

But the moot point is: Would it be able to promote greater understanding between the warring neighbours, despite measures like facilitating people-to-people contact? Would it help promote greater acceptance and accommodation?  Specially, against the backdrop of the historical baggage which has continued to mire India-Pakistan relations and hampered the manner in which populations of both sides perceive each other.

Pertinently, the joint statement reviewed the status of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction on holding meetings on Counter-Terrorism (including Mumbai trial’s progress) and Narcotics Control issues among others. In what seemed as an effort to equate the Mumbai 26/11 attacks and the Samjhuata Express issue, the joint statement mentioned both events and their on-going judicial processes.

Notably, both sides accepted step-by-step progress on issues as the best way forward, rather than letting ties be held hostage by historical events or the 26/11 attacks. It was felt that a calibrated approach would allow greater space for India and Pakistan to manoeuvre to achieve non-traditional security related issues. Moreover, encouraging people-to-people contacts would enable the populace, split in 1947 to communicate and understand each other. As both nations shoulder problems emanating from artificial partitioning, this would need immense political will and imagination to transcend the complications both face.

To show it intent, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf invited Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan later this year but Krishna remained non-committal. Given that Singh’s visit would only happen if enough tangible gains are assured. For this New Delhi and Islamabad would need to put their heads together. Given that, apart from conditioning a Prime Minister’s visit on concrete outcome of the 26/11 case, Raisina Hill would need to consider whether such a visit, sans any result, would increase and intensify goodwill generated during Krishna’s visit?

Winding up his three-day visit, Mr. Krishna termed his talks with the Pakistani leaders as ‘fruitful’. Leaders of both nations constantly reiterated that they share mutual interests in ensuring the development of cordial relationship between the nations. Hina Rabbani Khar mentioned the need for ‘two to tango’ and a joint statement was hammered out, she insisted that the ‘the two have tangoed’. Krishna and Khar both committed to writing a new chapter in bilateral ties, one devoid of acrimony and one built on dialogue and understanding. They revived the joint commission for cooperation in various areas which was an important step forward to achieving greater normalization of relations.

Even as Krishna expressed satisfaction with his visit and committed to building a relationship of trust with Pakistan, the prickly thorn of 26/11 continues to mar ties. The judicial process in the Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed cases continues without signs of any outcome in the near horizon. Also, New Delhi is irked by Islamabad persistence in tom-tomming the difficulty of conducting the judicial procedure in the absence of ‘concrete’ evidence.

While Pakistan insists that it is doing its best in questioning the Mumbai attacks perpetrators, India views efforts as lacklustre, lacking in conviction, and non-committal which have yielded precious little. Undeniably, this will remain a sore point till Pakistan shoes its intent for justice.

Significantly, Krishna’s visit also the key issue of cross-border terrorism being relegated to the back burner. True, both countries need to ensure that other bilateral issues are not held hostage to security concerns yet Islamabad needs to assure that the 26/11 culprits would be brought to book soon. Both nations should work painstakingly to collaborate, iron out differences and reach an agreement vis-à-vis the 26/11 judicial process in order to normalise relations.

Thus, with Pakistan continuing to link the Samjhuata Express issue to 26/11, the judicial process on the Samjhuata Express has been inexcusably slow. However, this is no ground for Islamabad to stall the 26/11 proceedings wherein New Delhi has provided evidence along-with Ajmal Kasab’s confession. Needless to say, both terrorist acts need to be promptly addressed.

Certainly, developing trust and confidence through high-level and people-to-people contact might help build bridges and generate public opinion on fair and speedy trials. Remember, violence in either nation cannot be in India or Pakistan’s interest. To prevent violence from searing either, both sides need to pool resources to tackling terrorism and combat violence.

In sum, the neighbours need to coordinate efforts towards finding solutions to problems ranging from Sir Creek to Kashmir and water-related issues. For India and Pakistan ties to prosper, both nations need to translate lofty rhetoric in purposeful action and commit to develop trust and understanding.

Definitely, more than a generation separates Krishna and Khar, yet the will and determination to cooperate and take Indo-Pak ties forward which was on display during the Foreign Minister’s visit augurs well for the next round of ‘tango’ to be potentially a bigger hit. ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)