Speakers at a India-Pakistan seminar in Pune last week called upon India and Pakistan to resolve all matters through dialogue and address prisoners and fishermen’s issues on a priority basis

Participants at a recent seminar on ’India Pakistan Relations: Yesterday and Today and Nuclear Posture’ called upon the two countries to discuss their core issues “openly and democratically”. The seminar, organised by the Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) Mumbai and Pune chapters, was held in Pune on 30 July, 2016.

Speaking at the occasion, PIPFPD founder member Tapan Kumar Bose said that it is imperative to strengthen democratic institutions in both the nations and develop stronger people to people contact. He said that the Indian government “needs to change its approach and discuss with ‘Kashmiri’ people to seek a political solution to the Kashmir problem and then carry such change in approach to Pakistan also for a meaningful bilateral dialogue for peace.”

He was one of the speakers at the first session of the seminar along with Prof. Achin Vanaik. Speakers at the second session, ‘SAARC and India-Pakistan Relations’ included Jatin Desai and Rita Manchanda. Milind Champanerkar, chairperson of PIPFPD, Pune chapter, presided over the event.

The K-word

“If I look at the problem from citizen’s perspectives,“ said Tapan Bose, “I find that the whole approach of the state towards tackling the problems depends upon how it looks at itself and in fact, the state ideology determines the whole discourse regarding Kashmir problem.”

If India believes that Kashmir is an integral part of the Indian state, it determines the whole discourse and sees the effects of such approach in Kashmir. More than 200 Kashmiri people have lost their lives, 2000 injured in recently. The city was under curfew for almost 20 days. “This is as good as going back to the situation in early 1990s,” said Bose. ”This time metal pellet guns were used against the people; although rubber pellets were used by Israel in the past, metal pellets were never used anywhere in the world before.”

Bose added that whatever might be the demands – for autonomy or any other political demands – there is no discussion at all with the people of Kashmir. Such approach of the BJP government is very much akin to the approach of Indira Gandhi, while dealing with Anandpur Sahib Resolution in Punjab, which includes several democratic demands like control over river water resources. But instead of addressing those demands the resolution was called ‘anti-national’ and the situation worsened.

“Absence of dialogue and incidents in Kashmir gave an opportunity to Nawaz Sharif to take a hard stand and bring back the issue of Kashmir’s sovereignty on the table in the International arena,” said Bose. Drawing attention to the fact that the Kashmir issue has remained unresolved for more than six decades Bose said that the government should “change its approach and policy”. It must negotiate with Kashmiri organisations with a “different approach and carry that change in approach to Pakistan also.”

“The critical question is whether we will negotiate with Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir with open democratic perspective?” asked Bose. “It by and large depends upon Indian state’s capacity to appreciate and understand that we have to have a different approach towards the political demands of the various sections of our country including Kashmir.“

Bose also suggested that India’s joining the bandwagon of US and Israel has become problematic and that the Indian government is dominated by the US camp and RSS ideology. Instead of addressing Indian people’s problems, India is giving priority to repositioning itself as an Asian leader, becoming caught in a Yo-Yo policy. It should try to understand that beyond Pakistan’s hard stand lies in fears like blocking of water resources. To resolve such problems India and Pakistan need no US intervention. Once those fears are addressed through bilateral negotiations, it would be easier to solve core issues.

Nuclear

Speaking on the nuclear posture of the two governments, internationally acclaimed anti-nuclear crusader and retired Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Delhi University, Achin Vanaik asserted that the three most dangerous areas in the world today are North East Asia (Korea), Middle East-West Asia (Israel) and South East Asia.

Among these South Asia has become the most dangerous part in the world due to India and Pakistan being engaged in a continuous hot and cold war since their inception in 1947. Secondly, they have fought four wars over Kashmir. Third, both have nuclear weapons capability. Fourth, both believe in aggressive muscular nationalism related to religion due to which extremists have emerged. China and Russia despite being nuclear-armed have resolved their border issues and there is no tension between them any more, unlike in India-Pakistan. Both say that they have a ‘No first Use’ nuclear policy, but there is continuous danger of conflict leading to nuclear war, he said.

The author of several books on the subject, Vanaik suggested several measures to avert the danger. Both India and Pakistan should agree to declare Kashmir –both sides of the border – as a Nuclear Weapons Free zone. He said that in Pakistan he has found some people in favour of this suggestion, but felt doubtful about India. Secondly, both countries should enter a No War Pact. Thirdly, they should sign CTBT provided US signs it. Fourthly, a joint team of scientists in both countries should be allowed to inspect the reactors of their choice in either country.

SAARC

Vanaik also asserted that the triangular relationship between USA, India and Pakistan has largely marred the relations between and India and Pakistan. He said, “US wants India and Pakistan for non substitutable geo-political and economic interests”. India serves US geopolitical Interests by containing China through its surge Southwards and Eastwards towards the Indian ocean, said Vanaik, while Pakistan serves US geopolitical Interest by its surge Northwards and Westwards, helping to exert control over Asia.

“Unless India Pakistan improve relations, the SAARC cannot be active as it is expected to,” said Jatin Desai, General secretary of PIPFPD, India, said, , said Jatin Desai,  addressing the second session of the seminar on ‘SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and India-Pakistan Relations’.

At the last SUMMT of the SAARAC held at Kathmandu in 2014 some member states had expressed their disappointment about India-Pakistan’s sour relations affecting the functioning of SAARC, noted Desai, but not much appears to be done on this front. He expressed hope that the Pakistan and Indian governments will give serious consideration to such concerns before the 19th summit to be held in November this year at Islamabad. Desai added that it is disappointing that SAARC summits are still held bi-annually and not annually as was desired and decided.

Speaking about expectations from SAARC and how it can serve the interest of its member states, the senior journalist said that better connectivity within SAARC countries is needed. Not a single airline connects all the SAARC countries. Intra-SAARC trade is less than five per cent of the total trade of the region. Connectivity, trade, and people to people contact must be improved, he said.

Fishermen

Desai stressed that SAARC should come up with a policy concerning fishermen of South Asian countries. At present, 466 Indian fishermen and 905 Indian boats are in Pakistan’s custody while 100 Pakistani fishermen and 170 Pakistani boats in Indian custody.

Both Pakistan and India should agree to adhere to a ‘No arrest policy’ whereby their Maritime Security Agencies, instead of arresting the fishermen who inadvertently enter each other’s waters, send them back to their respective countries.

Rita Manchanda, Research Director of South Asia Forum for Human Rights, criticized India and Pakistan’s governments for not allowing SAARC to function smoothly and efficiently. The SAARC framework is held hostage due to tensions between India and Pakistan and bilateral disputes between a few SAARC countries, she said.

She stressed upon the need to go beyond bilateralism and find such new approaches to help meaningful development in the South Asian countries. All stakeholders should take advantage of SAARC processes and hold their governments accountable, she said.

— Based on PIPFPD press release