This is a good opportunity for all to work to help the people on the ground in Lucknow, Lahore, Mumbai, Karachi, Bangalore, and Islamabad.
By Dr Ahmed Haque
A moment of peace between India and Pakistan is arising once again just before the famous mango season starts.
The two countries are arch rivals and many issues are to be discussed but the most important is trust. A lack of trust in any relationship is not a good start. Both sides should make a new start with complete faith in each other.
The open admission by the current PM of Pakistan the other day of learning lessons from the past and for India to see a dream of United India should be a good starting point.
These two countries account for 26% of the world’s population and it is vital they both live in peace.
In order to achieve anything there need to be clear parameters set before the dialogue begins. A joint committee with some objective should be a good idea.
Terrorism is the enemy of all and both sides need to understand that it affects them. India has suffered a lot with this and lost innocent lives, Pakistan has lost many men on this path too so in the end a joint committee to eradicate this has to be a first start.
We all may have to work to come up with a new vision that is all about the benefit of the people. In the end, the people of the land are the ones that suffer and both sides can help each other with this.
Pakistani PM and head of the armed forces must be invited to India and instead of discussing they should be shown the development of India. Also what can be achieved together with our civil engineers, our teachers, our technology, and our entertainment?
The Indian delegation must visit the heart of Pakistan Lahore with the Indian PM we must send our scientists, our engineers, our teachers, etc.
Once this regular dialogue is established then move to a TV show where you can have weekly audiences from different parts of India and Pakistan interact.
Similarly, a joint business forum under Ratan Tata should be formed to start the ball rolling.
The other issues of pressing interest over land disputes would need to be left for later. Once we have established a good and healthy working relationship coupled with commerce only then can you move to more serious topics?
The people of the two countries are tired and they want to be free to interact more with each other. This exercise of blame game must stop and the real people-to-people interaction must start.
This is a good opportunity for all to work to help the people on the ground in Lucknow, Lahore, Mumbai, Karachi, Banglore, and Islamabad.
Generations have changed and we still dislike each other about time we move to a dialogue stage.
