The Modi’s surprised landing in the
Lahore on this years Charismas day is a remarkable gesture in the recent past
in the bilateral relations between the India and the Pakistan. It is pertinent
to mention that the Indian Prime Minister had on two day summit level meeting
in the Moscow from 24th to 25th December and thereafter,
on the same day he inaugurated the Indian made Parliament at Kabul for
Afghanistan.
The Modi’s surprised visit is full of
secret diplomacy. It has always been noticed in the diplomacy that keeping the
backchannels active is more fruitful than reaching openly in the areas of hard
contestation. The ‘secrecy’ becomes more substantive when it is done between a pro-rhetoric
media glaring. Though, it is hard to digest that the Modi’s arrival in the
Pakistan would not have been pre-prepared. But nevertheless, if it is to be
surprised, it may be a beginning of new era in the bilateral engagements.
The two countries have recently agreed
to resume a new level of ‘Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue’, earlier known as
‘Composite Dialogue’ which involves all the bilateral issues included contested
issue of Kashmir. The comprehensive bilateral dialogue is a good beginning
since there was a huge pessimism emerged from the Ufa meeting in the Russia in
July 2015, which ended without signaling any direct talk over the issue of
Kashmir.
The Modi’s surprised visit has both
philosophical and pragmatic dimension. From philosophical point of view, Modi
is well equipped in giving diplomatic surprises. Earlier to it, he invited the
Pakistan’s Prime Minister at his swearing-in-ceremony in the May 2014, which
had not been seen in the Indo-Pak bilateral relations. Reaching the Pakistan in
such a manner, Modi might be trying to send a massage from London to Washington
that India believes in peace and diplomacy.
On the other side, the visit has some
pragmatic dimension as well. Not-to-engage is not a good option between the two
nuclear powers. The bilateral hostile relations are at the many costs in the
two countries as well as for the whole South Asian region. Modi would be aware of his economic
and strategic cost of an anti-Pakistan policy.
The two countries inhabit millions of
poor, malnourished, and internally dislocated people due to unabated tensions
particularly along the border areas between the two countries. It is
well-written and accentuated truth that the South Asian region would not see
the light of real prosperity and development until and unless the New Delhi and
the Islamabad reconcile on all the outstanding bilateral issues included the most
sensitive issue of Kashmir.
Some recent reports have revealed that
both the India and the Pakistan are pursuing a sort new weapon race, which
could be very dangerous particularly in a situation of bilateral hostility.
Therefore, bilateral engagement and reaching each other is an indispensable
option between the Indian and the Pakistan. There is no other way to address
the bilateral issues other than dialogue especially when the two contestants
are nuclear powers.
