INDO-PAK RELATIONS--MOMENTS OF TRUTH

India and Pakistan are on clear confrontation with each other sice Mumbai terrorist attacks.India claims and true it is that Mumbai terror attackes was planned in Pakistan and attackers were trained inside the Pak border. Hafiz Saeed the Jamat -ud -dawa chief is at large in Pak and India claims and give evidences of his being master mind of 26/11.

Non Aligned Movement once founded by India, Egypt and Turky on the peak of cold war to remain distant with either of the super powers has given a platform to Indian and Pakistani prmiers to come together to think on bilateral relations. The Egypt edition of NAM in which both the sides diluted thier stands is an ice breaking step. Pakistan this time has hidend the Kashmir issue while India only mentioned about the Pakistani action on Mumbai acuused. Indian Prime minister would be in Delhi when I am writing these lines.

History of India Pakistan relation has been a saga of truth, accusation, ifiltration,terrorism,occupation and betrayel.So for India and Pakistan has come in clear confrontation that lead to a war for four times. But there has been remarkable steps as well to restrengthen relation between the two neighbours.

THE BITTER MOMENTS.....\

On the strategic will of British rule and Mohammad Ali Zinnah Pakistan came in existence in 1947 and couple of months later Pakistan infiltrated pashtun tribes with the help of Pakistani army in the Kashmir. The then Maharaja of Kashmir Hari Singh seeked Indian help to fight out infiltration and India asked to sign an accord to be integral part of India. Seeing no way to escape Hari Singh signed the deal and in return Indian troops defeated Pakistani infiltration.

In 1965 under the leadership of Lal Bahadur Shashtri India fought another war with Pakistan and Indian army reached as close as up to 18 kms to lahore. USSR mediated in to it and a ceasefire agreement was signed in Tashkant. Expert say that Lal Bahadur Shastri could not succumb to international pressure and died of heart attack.

1971 saw another war between India and Pakistan on both sides of border, when Shieks Mujjebur Rehman seeked Indian help to liberate East Pakisatn from the traumatic leadership of integral Pakistan. India's then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi helped Bangla desh Mukti vahini and succeded to liberate Bangla desh. The war fought along eastern and western borders.

Between 1972 and 1999 there has been many issues including that of terrorism and Kashmir which lead India and Pakistan to a clear confrontation.
In 1999 we saw kargil war in the back drop of Lahore talks.
And most recentlly 26/11 happened which was again a cowardish act by Pakistan based militant groups in the line of many other attackes in Indian cities.

BETTER MOMENTS........Despite many turbulences and confrontations, full scale war and war like situations there has been moments when India and Pakistan sat together for betterment of relations and friendly ties.

Simla Agreement 1972.. First time India and Pakistan came together under prmiership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi. Issues like itrusion and Kashmir were discussed and Simla pact was signed.

In the 1988 Then prime ministers of India and Pakistan, Rajiv and Benazir talked about not inturrupting the nuclear programmes of any country.

1998, visited Lahore talks when Indian prime minister Mr Vajpayee and Nawaj Sharif talked about opening diplomatic relations , starting a bus service and kashmir issue.

In 2003 again Vajpayee and Musharraf came together in Agra summit which was another ice breaking step after Kargil war.

So the history of Indo Pak relation has been a story of magical and miserable moments . It also has been story of trust and betray. India has always welcomed Pakistan for talks but not on the conditions of Internationalization the Kashmir issue. On the other hand Pakistan always has tried US interference in Kashmir dispute.

For the first time US President Barack Obama is unwilling to interfere in the bilateral talks and wish that the issue is actually an internal matter of India and Pakistan.

Again India and Pakistan are coming close and we have to see if a new chapter of friendship and warmth will be written or it would one more step towards false promises and assurance and betrayel. Two good neighbours are sharing the one grilling pain of terrorism or two old enemies are sharpening thier weapon to stab eachother, whether two emerging economies of south asia wish to talk thier domestics problem in the time of recession or two economies are troubling the common public by imposing disturbences,terrorism and war or war like situation.

World is watching thru international media what is going to happen next in south asian relations.A history written by ink of friendship and trust or a chapter unfolding another war between two nuclear state.

Let us watch.........................

Written by Ratnesh Dwivedi on 17/07/09 at 5:30 PM