Time to douse the fire
“Pakistan-India relations have been strained for decades due to a number of well known issues – Kashmir, water, sporadic skirmishes at the Line of Control, and the recent Sarabjit and Sanaullah episodes that have added fuel to the fire.
It’s about time that both countries doused this fire. It is in the best interests of both countries to do so.Economic and trade diplomacy can play an important part here. India should maintain the norms and ethics of Pakistan’s MFN status by developing a soft posture towards Pakistan.
Similarly, Pakistan will also get the benefit of granting India the MFN status it has promised with the import of affordable consumer products that will help combat inflation in Pakistan.
Another project that can strengthen relations and increase interdependence is the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, which will meet the increasing energy needs of both countries. This will also teach both governments to negotiate and work together. The movement of goods across the border is an an important way of mending fences, so to speak.
Muhammad Ibrahim
Student, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad
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