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YET another fabulous summit-level session of a galaxy,
composed of seven states of South Asia — titled as SAARC — has
ended, raying to the orb a pledge for peace, progress and
prosperity — in the region with a zest for affluence in diverse
arenas — most explicitly vis-à-vis the socio-economic vistas.
As a 43-point communiqué — issued after its’ final session in
Islamabad Tuesday — depicts this moot — overtly set targets for
its significant objectives — like back-up to regional
cooperation in economic and social development, poverty
alleviation, science and technology, information and
communication and combating terrorism.
The member States — simultaneously — reaffirmed their pledge to
promote good neighbourly relations on the basis of sovereign
equality, territorial integrity and national independence.
They also committed to the principle of non-use of force,
non-interference and peaceful settlement of disputes.
At the same time, the two nuke-neighbours India and
Pakistan — with an apparent zest — agreed to initiate ‘a composite
dialogue’ to resolve all their bilateral issues — including the
perilous-one, the Kashmir dispute — to the satisfaction of both
the countries, mostly probably next month — as an exact date for
such a much-awaited course has not been listed so far.
No doubt, such a pledge can — manifestly — be evaluated both as
atypical and momentous.
With this perception, one can view this scenario with optimism
that history has been made and the concord, beamed all-over is
not less than a big step and leap forward.
Prima facie, this agreement on a composite dialogue was
reached between the two countries after Indian Prime Minister
AB Vajpayee telephoned President of Pakistan, Gen Pervez
Musharraf as a follow-up of their face-to-face interaction on
Monday — wherein both the leaders vowed to
work — hands-in-gloves — for serenity in South Asia.
Going by the index of the history of this continent — which has
been facing frequent upheavals — only due to India’s arrogant
posture — its’ certainly a significant advance.
Since India has persistently been repudiating such a milieu,
wherein overtures for talks could be translated into a
reality — every peace-loving nation — the world-over — would phrase
the new impel as a fragrant breakthrough as well as a dazzling
icon of great expectations.
While, analyzing this resolve, it looks like a defining moment
for the future of South Asia, which has paradoxically lingered
with a volatile setting — over the past half a century — only due
to Indian antagonism.
As every realistic historian stands witness the veracity that
such apex-level contacts between India and Pakistan did take
place — even in the past, when the then President of Pakistan,
Field Marshall Ayub Khan have had an in-depth dialogue with
the Indian Premier, Lal Bhadur Shastri at Tashkent and the
then Pakistani Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto undertook
an identical exercise with his Indian counterpart, Indira
Gandhi at Simla — and not very far off, President Pervez
Musharraf had a reflective discourse with Premier Vajpayee at
Agra — only two years ago.
Yet no evocative result could be accrued to launch a process
of amity — to take South Asia onto the alleyway of progress,
prosperity and top of all — peace with equilibrium — as its’
podium.
Its’ raison d'être is palpable. Its’ the Indian animosity.
Once it gets fade away, the desired results are ought to
surface — as clear as a pure, chaste, virtuous and
radiant — crystal.
With this insight, every candid soul would wish the peace
process to thrive in the best interest of harmony in the
region and vitally for the well-being of the billion-plus
populous, dwelling in this part of the earth.
Conversely, both India and Pakistan shall have to stay
vigilant and watchful in view of the fact that extremists on
both sides do not wish for tranquility, amity and development
in South Asian region.
Pakistan is explicitly ought to keep itself predominantly
alert and observant as the hawks around Vajpayee feel like
opting to retain the risky settings intact — with their orifice
of ‘allure’ of perpetual confrontation between Islamabad and
New Delhi go-on unabated.
As a matter of testimony, they incapacitate every upbeat move
made by Vajpayee for normalization of relations between the
two countries with one ploy or the other.
Indeed, it was rousing to gaze at that none of the visiting
Indian leaders or their companions articulated their favourite
phrase of ‘cross-border terrorism or infiltration’ in their
discussions and speeches while on the soils of Pakistan.
It’s, thus anticipated that they will not revert to the
slang — as they now get back home — nor will the hawks be
permitted to pollute the environment with their grubby
gambits.
Justifiably, Pakistan has already made many concessions to
bring India to the table of negotiations.
To quote a few, unilateral ceasefire on the Line of
Control — LoC, recommencement of over-flights and proffer of a
type of modification from the affirmed position on Kashmir for
a genial resolution of the long-standing issue were all
one-sided initiatives.
Yet, at the same time, one hopes that the government will be
responsive to the nation’s sensitivities in dealing with India
in view of its proverbial cunningness.
Vajpayee’s fascinating overtures may be motivated by BJP’s eye
on the approaching general elections in India. So we have to
be cautious and refrain from showing gratuitous excitement and
exuberance over the upshot of the latest contacts.
As is conserved in the history, India and Pakistan have had
several rounds of talks in the past, but — each and every one of
such contacts — eventually proved abortive owing to India’s
obstinacy and negation to recognize Kashmir as a disputed
territory.
What is, thus, needed is that the talks — as and when they take
place — should be inexorable, meaningful and result-oriented.
For this, sincerity is clearly the touchstone. We should also
not be heedless of the fact that when-ever, ice starts melting
between the two countries, some incident spoils the pie and
both nations revert to conflict and fray.
As is evident, the Lahore Declaration was followed by the
Kargil episode while Agra meeting heralded a terrorist act of
firing in front of the Indian Parliament.
On both the occurrences the emotions of goodwill, shaped
between the two countries as a result of leaders’ contact
were, as a follow-up — vitiated.
Virtually, such incidents did derail the peace process and
brought the two countries back to square one.
We wish that no repulsive condition will appear now that the
two countries have — once again agreed to set in motion a
process of dialogue — obviously to reach a consensus which could
take them to a point — where cologne and aroma, harbingers a
mellow to resurrect love and adore — with mutual esteem to open
vistas for bilateral as well as multilateral good of the
humans — without any discrimination, chauvinism and bigotry.
Last but not the least, the communiqué — which brought the SAARC
Summit to a conclusion — in Islamabad with a delight to meet in
Dhaka next year — astonishingly — made no mention of the Kashmir
dispute — despite the fact, it did refer to ‘issues’.
Conceivably, it was a calculated shot — as the SAARC
charter — maliciously forbids even a singular word about
‘bilateral or international issues’ — and in place lays utmost
modulation on the socio-economic aspects.
Yet its’ ought to accept the realism that the dream — which it
envisions — can not turn into a certainty sans the solution of
the political issues — with Kashmir on the top.
This set-up must accept that magnificence for such a wish [of
socio-economic uplift] can be captivated solely via bountiful
resources — which, as India is even now squandering on
billions-dollars armory–compilation deals with multiple
countries like Russia, UK and — even from its scented cute
darling Israel, in spite of the verity that New Delhi has no
foe — any-where around its terrain.
Can’t such a lavish spending be consumed on ameliorating the
lot its’ own people — a majority of whom lives below-poverty
line, even in a epoch when civilization is close to step onto
Mars — after Moon?
Amid such a situation, isn’t it apposite — that not only that
realities are clinched with a laissez-faire style by not only
amending the SAARC chapter to accommodate political topics — but
also the scope and size of this organization — is got expanded
by inducting leading realms of Asia — like China to achieve its
indispensable objectives?
Else, this forum of ‘great expectations’ shall prove nothing
more than a prop of hegemony — which no-one would like — if at all
it is sincere towards the SAARC objects.
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