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India-Pakistan détente: the components

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By K.N. Pandita,

Recent foreign minister level Indo-Pak meeting is somewhat noteworthy. In terms of trust it may not be extraordinary. However it was devoid of usual rancour.

The noteworthy change is that Pakistani side did not exude its usual rhetoric on Kashmir. But that does not mean there is any significant change In Pakistan’s Kashmir policy.

Speaking about a young female as its new foreign minister, Pakistani Prime Minister said he wanted to present the soft face of Pakistan to the Indians.  Continue Reading…

Pragmatism in relations

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By K.N. Pandita

In a sense, bilateral dialogue between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on Wednesday in New Delhi was off the beaten track. What we have been used to expect or deduce from such meetings in past decades stands belied this time. Pakistan adopted more realistic posture in comparison to the tradition she has inherited from decades of Army controlled policy towards India.

Hina said she enjoyed the confidence of the civilian government and the Army of Pakistan. This is noteworthy. Why did the Pak Army have to bow to the wishes of the civilian government, which in turn, put Washington’s advisory in place?  Of late, Pakistan Army and ISI have taken a beating from Washington for their covert terror links. Krishna-Qureshi meeting of July 2010 convinced Washington that pragmatism in Pak-Afghan and Indo-Pak relations could not be inducted and made result-oriented with a Pakistani foreign minister carrying the agenda of the Army, the ISI and the religions extremists’ organizations at home.  Continue Reading…

Continued re-engagement

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By K.N. Pandita

India-Pak re-engagement on Kashmir centric CBMs and also other important matters of bilateral concern signifies improved and upgraded approach to the overall spectrum of bilateral relationship. There is a flurry of meetings and exchanges on the cards, beginning with a Pakistani delegation that landed in New Delhi on Sunday evening. The 13 July bomb blasts in Mumbai have not been allowed to vitiate the atmosphere of bilateral talks and Pakistan has formally, and her Prime Minister personally, condemned the terrorist act and sympathized with the victims. From smaller beginnings, there will be ascent to more important and crucial issues for deliberation including talks on nuclear security and anti-terrorist strategies. All this indicates maturing of interlocutors on both sides and their sincerity of intentions to iron out angularities.  Continue Reading…

South Asian unity

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By K.N. Pandita

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s inaugural address to the 5th Conference of the Association of SAARC http://www.saarc-sec.org/
Speakers and Parliamentarians in New Delhi reflects the high watermark of statesmanship and futuristic vision of the crucial region called South Asia. The appeal and advice to SAARC member states of forging unity among themselves and speaking on crucial international political and economic issues with one voice is passionate and timely. Couched in simple and forthright idiom, the PM has tried to make the member countries conscious of the potential they possess in terms of natural and human resources, common history, cultural links and geographical connectivity. South Asia has the largest youth population and hence the largest manpower which needs to be canalized properly for creative activity.  The warning is timely that they need to learn how to solve their problems without depending on external support or advice. And unless that is done, full realization of the potential cannot become a reality.  Continue Reading…

Heavy hand of law

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By K.N. Pandita

For over two years in the past the country has been in the throes of deep embarrassment and disrepute because of horrendous corruption disclosures made by independent media or non-government organizations. The situation is made worse by government’s policy of complacence in regard to some of the corruption cases, its unwillingness to speed up investigation and covert attempt of suppressing facts in violation of the law of right to information. This entire phenomenon became catalyst to deep rumblings in civil society and created an atmosphere of suspense and uncertainty at a time when country’s economy was limping back to normalcy after the market crisis worldwide. Three major scams happening in near past and still hanging fire have revealed that all is not fine with our system of governance.   Continue Reading…