The article pitches for the resumption of India-Pakistan relations. But there are obstacles on both the side which come in the way of such resumption.

Pakistan and relations over Kashmir issue

•  In July, the Turkish president had assured Pakistan’s parliament of his country’s support for Islamabad’s Kashmir stand.
• More recently, Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has reiterated his backing for that stand.
• Iran’s current negotiations with China do not necessarily mean alignment with the latter’s Kashmir policy.
• Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries invited official criticism in Pakistan first time for their refusal to back Pakistan in its disputes with New Delhi.
• Pakistan’s foreign minister had made a remark against Saudi Arabia over its reluctance to convene the meeting of IOC.
• Given the long history of Saudi-Pakistani relations, such remarks suggest a high degree of frustration.

India’s vulnerabilities and relations with Pakistan

• An excess of confidence and an unwillingness to think things through may be India’s vulnerabilities.
• Army’s chief of staff made the statement this year, “If Parliament wants that area [PoK] should be ours at some stage, and if we get such orders, we will definitely act on those directions.”
• Prime Minister made the statement regarding time of a week to 10 days to defeat the neighbouring country in case of war.

Picturing resumption of relations with Pakistan

• In case of war, aware of the total devastation to follow, neither side in an India-Pakistan conflict will press the nuclear button.
• On the other hand, it is also possible, before any war, to imagine negotiations that lead, not necessarily in that order, to a resumption of trade, travel and normal relations, the renunciation of terrorism, and the restoration of the democratic rights of the people of Kashmir.
• While no realistic person today expects such talks, it is not a crime to picture them.

Conclusion

Amicable relations with Pakistan may seem remote but they are worth striving for.

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