Will India Accept Zardari’s Olive Branch?
By Dil Nawaz • Feb 14th, 2009 • Category: Worth A Second Look • 6 CommentsPresident Zardari’s Peace formula for india and Pakistan
The PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT under President Zardari started peace initiatives with India taking tentative steps to liberalise Trade and tourism with India. Zardari doing a live webcast (his firstever) with english speaking Internet users in india and coining terms like “we are all half indian/half pakistani” was very optimistic.
In the Time period between 6 September presidential inauguration and 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, Zardari Administration was still struggling in its initial days inside Pakistan with terrorist attacks on marriot hotel and the worsening law-and-order situation in the tribal belt and north west frontier province.There was “made-in-Taliban” tag in the world media,it had already scared off most westerns.
However, the peace initiative is a rare opportunity to kindle the beacon of peace between India and pakistan. the Indian leadership (barring Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi) is in their old age of retirement , hardly a material for pragmatic and dynamic leadership. The anti Pakistan lobby headed by fire breathing Parab Mukherjee who the people of his own west bengal have rejected a number of times, fails to take the hint and quit gracefully.the oxford educated bureaucrate Man-Mohan singh sounds like a punjabi supervisor from a Russian Tractor factory rather than an accomplished economist that he used to be. the right-wing leadership in BJP Vajpai and advani have become incontinent and cannot function properly.
It is the young leadership of india (Sonia and Rahul) who can effectively talk with young pakistani government( Zardari,Gilani and Qureshi). The vigorous TV campaign for a Visit India on the European channels was highly successful in “incredible India” promoting Indian tourism and culture till 26/11 attacks when suddenly British and American got scared about indian tourism.
The Pakistan government initiatives — we have learned through previous experiences of Visit Pakistan Year 2007 which went up in smoke of chief justice movement and terrorist attacks after of red mosque siege — are most of the time riddled with bureaucratic red tape, half-hearted, half-baked and ill-conceived tourism departments.
nevertheless, Zardari made a start, which every one thought might bring better results this time around, but It wasn’t to be.the Hawks in Indian and Pakistani Establishment and media started talking of Terrorism rather than Tourism and dark clouds of war started gathering over the whole sub continent ,thankfully the sane leadership of India(sonia & Manmohan) and Pakistan(zardari and qureshi) saved the countries from the brink of war.
there are a few silver linings appearing on even the darkest of clouds.Tourism today is one of the biggest industries in the world; it brings employment, opportunities and equality to otherwise less-developed areas in India such as Rajasthan. The Terrorist attacks came at a worst time for tourist industry in India when the tourist season was just starting after hot monsoon season.
Pakistan is the best-kept secret of tourism industry.after the 9/11 and afghan war Pakistan became a dangerous destination for western tourists. The Himalayan valleys in northern areas, The Kite runner Festivals of “Basant” in the ancient walled inner city of Lahore(capital of north indian culture), Pakistan cultural and religious tourism for sikh religion and sufi shrines and K-2 mountain climbers disappeared from the tourism industry radar , thease are still as good as any in the world. Pakistan has to showcase the Indus Valley and Ghandhara Buddhist civilizations, Basant festival, performing arts festival, truck art, chicken-tikka masaala cuisine, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh pilgrimage places to new markets.
Common Indians are not scared of terrorism threats that world media projects about Pakistan. They know that most of Pakistan (and india as well )is a peaceful destination and the people are friendly and are nostalgic about the communal harmony in pre-partition days from British india.
Entry visas at arrival for business, family and package tourists will be the first right step in normalising the peace process and increasing people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
Millions of Indians will be eager to cross the Wagha border for a day trips to savour the culinary delights of Lahore food street and Basant and other Punjabi festivals. This nostalgia and the bond of friendship was shown in Indian cricket tour of Pakistan 2004 when thousands of passionate Indian cricket fans turned Pakistan tour into a festive occasion and places like Peshawar (northern NWFP capital), the birth place of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and the family home of Shah Rukh Khan, welcomed Indians with open hearts.
The shipping industry in both countries has already joined hands to promote trade and tourism. The indian government terrorism assessment after 26/11can damage sea links between Mumbai-karachi.
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The bigger question is: Whether Zardari is really under control of Pakistan?
Bradistan,
A few things that I would like to point out, first properly spell names of people you are referring to like Pranab rather than Parab.
Second, when you are talking about people try to write the first alphabet in capital letter like, Advani instead of advani, Sonia, etc.
Third, the Indian Prime Ministers name is Manmohan and not Man-Mohan.
Fourth, why do you want to promote a Indian or Hindu celebration of “Basant” in Pakistan, as Pakistanis hate India and Hindus. For the same reason why the Buddhist place. All the minorities in Pakistan are badly treated be it Hindu, or Buddhist or Christians, they don’t have social and economic privileges as minorities in India have.
Why should Pakistan do all the things that you have mentioned above as every Pakistani feels that India is the only enemy in the world and everything that happens in Pakistan is done by Indian intelligence agency RAW.
Sorry Adi, its the typo mistakes that proof reading failed to check, as far as RAW & Basant comments ,don’t you think Right Wing Politics vilifying Hindu/muslim peace has been discredited fully in india and pakistan. people want something different, not more of the same by jamat Islami & BJP
cheers
@ Bradistan
What makes your judgment skewed is that you fail to grasp how tired and livid India is with the same old Pakistani games, especially after 26/11. People in Pakistan may genuinely want something different, but as long as their dysfunctional masters rule Pakistan as they have for 61 years, 5 months and 7 days, this is going to be nothing but a pipe dream.
Dilnawaz,
People do want something different, but at what cost is the question that needs to be asked. When we are talking about this change, we also need to look at the organizations that are active in Pakistan which harm India and its people at large.
People from both sides of the border are from the same ethnic background, but things have changed a lot. If you read history it will show a few very clear paths that these 2 countries have taken. Pakistan was formed because the founders thought that if they were ruled by Hindus they will lose a lot, but if you look at the current scenario in Pakistan, they have already lost almost everything.
People in Pakistan are driven on religious values, when it should not be done. Religion is a personal matter of a person, it should not be used to manipulate the values of a person.
When people in India come out of their homes and head towards their offices, schools, colleges, etc. they have to be part of a cosmopolitan setup, were people of different religion, caste, race, ethnic background come together to perform their duties.
If you don’t this and carry your emotional and cultural baggage along with you, it creates problems for everyone.
Read this link.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Columnists/M_J_Akbar_India_Pak_are_worlds_apart/articleshow/3995349.cms#write
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