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Journalism of Courage
After some rather sharp pre-dialogue exchanges, the process of composite dialogue to normalise bilateral relations between Pakistan and India appears to be on track despite the change of government in New Delhi. Except for the meetings on restarting the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus travel, it was the meeting on nuclear CBMs confidence building measures 8212; scheduled to take place in the third week of May 8212; that had to be postponed. This became necessary because the Manmohan Singh government was still in the process of being formed. It is good that the rescheduling has been given the priority it deserved so that lost time could be made up in the weeks that lead up to the foreign ministers8217; meet in August.
But we also need to be pragmatic and not start killing the process by overly unrealistic expectations. India-Pakistan dialogue has a long history 8212; almost as long as the tensions and conflicts that have marked interaction between the subcontinental neighbours. What we tend to forget is the enormous quantum of agreements and confidence building measures that have already been agreed to by both sides over the decades. It is in this context that both nations need to bear in mind the reality that the greater the movement toward normal relations, the greater the scope for arriving at mutually agreed solutions to outstanding issues and disputes. What has dogged bilateral relations is as much a lack of trust 8212; or rather the existence of a near pervasive mistrust 8212; as the reality of differences and disputes.
