On%20the%20occasion%20of%20Pakistan%27s%2070th%20National%20Day%20on%2023rd%20March%20this%20year%2C%20Prime%20Minister%20Narendra%20Modi%20wrote%20a%20letter%20to%20Prime%20Minister%20Imran%20Khan%2C%20saying%3A%20%22As%20a%20neighbouring%20country%2C%20India%20desires%20cordial%20relations%20with%20the%20people%20of%20Pakistan.%20For%20this%2C%20an%20environment%20of%20trust%2C%20devoid%20of%20terror%20and%20hostility%2C%20is%20imperative.%22%20He%20added%20%3A%20%22%20Excellency%2C%20at%20this%20difficult%20time%20for%20humanity%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20convey%20my%20best%20wishes%20to%20you%20and%20the%20people%20of%20Pakistan%20for%20dealing%20with%20the%20challenges%20of%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic.%22%20Three%20days%20earlier%2C%20PM%20Modi%20had%20tweeted%20wishing%20PM%20Imran%20Khan%20a%20speedy%20recovery%20after%20he%20and%20his%20wife%20tested%20positive%20for%20the%20deadly%20virus.%20%22Best%20wishes%20to%20Prime%20Minister%20@ImranKhanPTI%20for%20a%20speedy%20recovery%20from%20Covid-19%2C%22%20he%20had%20said%20in%20his%20tweet.

On%2029th%20January%2C%20Imran%20Khan%20replied%20to%20Prime%20Minister%20Narendra%20Modi%20thanking%20him%20for%20his%20greetings%20on%20Pakistan%20Day.%20Khan%20also%20said%3A%20%22The%20people%20of%20Pakistan%20also%20desire%20peaceful%2C%20cooperative%20relations%20with%20all%20neighbours%20including%20India.%20We%20are%20convinced%20that%20durable%20peace%20and%20stability%20in%20South%20Asia%20is%20contingent%20upon%20resolving%20all%20outstanding%20issues%20between%20India%20and%20Pakistan%2C%20in%20particular%20the%20Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20dispute.%22%20He%20added%20that%20the%20that%20creation%20of%20an%20enabling%20environment%20is%20imperative%20for%20a%20constructive%20and%20result-oriented%20dialogue.%20The%20Pakistani%20Prime%20Minister%20also%20conveyed%20his%20wishes%20for%20the%20people%20of%20India%20in%20the%20fight%20against%20the%20Covid%20pandemic.

Also%20Read%7C%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/will-pakistanis-ever-stand-up-to-their-armys-oppression%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EWill%20Pakistanis%20ever%20stand%20up%20to%20their%20army%27s%20oppression%3F%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

%3Cstrong%3EOther%20positive%20signs%3C/strong%3E

In%20this%20regard%2C%20there%20are%20some%20other%20positive%20developments%20which%20also%20need%20to%20be%20noted.%20Both%20the%20armies%20recommitted%20themselves%20to%20the%202003%20ceasefires%20along%20the%20line%20of%20control%20in%20J%26amp%3BK%20in%20February.%20After%20about%20two-and-half%20years%2C%20a%20delegation%20of%20Pakistani%20officials%20arrived%20in%20India%20for%20a%20meeting%20of%20the%20permanent%20Indus%20commission%20this%20week.%20Last%20week%2C%20Foreign%20Secretary%20Harsh%20Vardhan%20Shringla%20said%20India%20wants%20good%20friendly%20ties%20with%20Pakistan%20provided%20there%27s%20a%20conducive%20atmosphere%20for%20dialogue.%20Similar%20sentiments%20have%20been%20expressed%20across%20the%20border%20too.%20%26nbsp%3BPakistan%20Army%20chief%20General%20Qamar%20Javed%20Bajwa%20said%20on%20March%2018%20that%20it%20was%20time%20for%20India%20and%20Pakistan%20to%20%22bury%20the%20past%20and%20move%20forward.%22%20He%20added%20that%20the%20peace%20between%20the%20two%20neighbours%20would%20help%20to%20%22unlock%22%20the%20potential%20of%20South%20and%20Central%20Asia.%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/pakistan-fails-to-keep-india-out-of-afghan-peace-process%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%7C%20Pakistan%20fails%20to%20keep%20India%20out%20of%20Afghan%20peace%20process%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

There%20are%20some%20hopeful%20signs%20in%20regard%20to%20trade%20also.%20Pakistan%20had%20suspended%20trade%20ties%20with%20India%20after%20New%20Delhi%20revoked%20the%20special%20status%20of%20Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20in%202019.%20However%2C%20in%20May%202020%2C%20Pakistan%20lifted%20the%20ban%20on%20the%20import%20of%20medicines%20and%20raw%20material%20from%20India%20to%20ensure%20there%20is%20no%20shortage%20of%20essential%20drugs%20amid%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic.%20This%20was%20the%20first%20step%20of%20reversing%20the%20complete%20suspension%20of%20trade%20with%20India.%20Now%2C%20according%20to%20media%20reports%2C%20Pakistan%u2019s%20textile%20ministry%20headed%20by%20Prime%20Minister%20Imran%20Khan%20has%20recommended%20the%20lifting%20of%20a%20ban%20on%20the%20import%20of%20cotton%20from%20India%20to%20bridge%20the%20raw%20material%20shortfall%20the%20country%27s%20textile%20sector%20was%20facing.%20Currently%2C%20cotton%20and%20yarn%20imports%20are%20allowed%20from%20all%20countries%20except%20India.%20The%20textile%20sector%20in%20Pakistan%20strongly%20favours%20imports%20of%20cotton%20from%20India%20as%20they%20are%20much%20cheaper%20than%20imports%20from%20other%20countries.%20Pakistan%20Textile%20Exporters%20Association%20Chairman%20Khurram%20Mukhtar%20tweeted%20that%20the%20import%20of%20raw%20cotton%2C%20yarn%20and%20grey%20fabric%20from%20India%20will%20bridge%20the%20gap%20in%20demand%20and%20supply%20and%20will%20enable%20Pakistani%20exporters%20to%20continue%20the%20growth%20momentum.

%3Cstrong%3ETwo%20steps%20forward%2C%20two%20steps%20backwards%3C/strong%3E

The%20past%20has%20shown%20that%20Indo-Pak%20relations%20are%20a%20case%20of%20two%20steps%20forward%20followed%20by%20two%20steps%20backwards.%20However%2C%20it%20cannot%20be%20emphasised%20enough%20how%20important%20it%20is%20to%20end%20the%20deeply%20ingrained%20hostility%20unless%20we%20want%20to%20hurtle%20towards%20another%20conflict%2C%20one%20that%20will%20perhaps%20be%20more%20destructive%20than%20any%20in%20the%20past.%20We%20need%20bold%20and%20out-of-the-box%20thinking%20to%20chart%20out%20a%20new%20course.%20To%20use%20a%20clich%E9%2C%20the%20bull%20has%20to%20be%20taken%20by%20the%20horns.%20%26nbsp%3B%20%26nbsp%3B

%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/pakistans-unending-wish-to-do-a-bangladesh-to-india%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%7C%20When%20a%20Pakistan%20military%20officer%20confessed%20his%20hopes%20for%20avenging%20Bangladesh%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

Hoping%20for%20a%20quick%20turn-around%20in%20Indo-Pakistan%20relations%20may%20just%20be%20wishful%20thinking.%20Perhaps%20it%20is%2C%20but%20I%20must%20admit%20that%20I%20have%20secretly%20indulged%20in%20it%20since%201978%20when%20I%20went%20to%20Egypt%20on%20my%20first%20diplomatic%20posting%20and%20witnessed%20Anwar%20Sadat%20and%20Menahem%20Begin%20bury%20the%20hatchet%20between%20their%20two%20countries.%20Egypt%20and%20Israel%2C%20too%20had%20fought%20deadly%20wars%20in%201948%2C%201967%20and%201973%2C%20but%20there%20is%20peace%20between%20them%20now%2C%20even%20though%20some%20people%20refer%20to%20it%20as%20%u2018a%20cold%20peace%u2019.%20%26nbsp%3B

%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EPakistan%27s%20hostility%3C/strong%3E

Sadly%2C%20amidst%20all%20the%20turbulence%20which%20has%20marked%20Pakistan%u2019s%20%26nbsp%3Bhistory%2C%20and%20which%20has%20seen%20civilian%20governments%20and%20military%20juntas%20play%20musical%20chairs%20with%20one%20another%2C%20one%20aspect%20which%20has%20retained%20the%20stamp%20of%20permanence%20has%20been%20its%20unremitting%20hostility%20towards%20India%20and%20its%20steadfast%20desire%20to%20foment%20trouble%20across%20its%20eastern%20border.%20The%20inevitable%20conclusion%20that%20is%20drawn%20in%20India%20is%20that%20the%20ill-will%20of%20the%20Pakistan%20establishment%2C%20especially%20that%20of%20the%20army%20cannot%20be%20transformed%20into%20goodwill%3B%20whenever%20Pakistan%20can%20create%20problems%20for%20us%2C%20it%20will%20always%20do%20so.%20In%20turn%2C%20this%20has%20given%20rise%20to%20anti-Pakistan%20sentiments%20across%20many%20sections%20of%20the%20Indian%20polity.

Given%20the%20fact%20that%20Pakistan%u2019s%20economic%2C%20industrial%20and%20military%20strength%20is%20considerably%20less%20than%20India%u2019s%2C%20a%20fundamental%20plank%20of%20its%20policy%20continues%20to%20be%20built%20around%20the%20asymmetric%20or%20proxy%20war%20involving%20the%20sending%20of%20terrorists%20across%20the%20Line%20of%20Control.%20%26nbsp%3BAlthough%20the%20Line%20of%20Control%20is%20fenced%2C%20there%20are%20portions%20of%20it%20where%20rivers%20and%20rivulets%20make%20the%20fencing%20vulnerable%20and%20such%20sections%20are%20used%20by%20the%20infiltrators.%20The%20use%20of%20tunnels%20for%20sending%20across%20infiltrators%20has%20also%20been%20resorted%20to%20by%20the%20Pakistanis.

%3Cstrong%3EKashmir%20issue%3C/strong%3E

Will%20we%20ever%20be%20able%20to%20resolve%20what%20Pakistan%20regards%20as%20the%20core%20issue%20%u2013%20the%20Kashmir%20dispute%3F%20It%20is%20very%20difficult%2C%20but%20I%20would%20not%20say%20that%20it%20is%20impossible.%20%26nbsp%3BIt%20may%20be%20pertinent%20to%20note%20that%20according%20to%20the%20reputed%20journalist%20Kuldip%20Nayyar%2C%20Nawaz%20Sharif%20had%20himself%20admitted%20to%20him%20some%20years%20ago%20that%20neither%20can%20Pakistan%20take%20away%20Kashmir%20from%20India%20nor%20can%20India%20give%20it%20away.%26nbsp%3B

Some%20analysts%20have%20suggested%20that%20the%20only%20reasonable%20and%20workable%20solution%20would%20be%20to%20eschew%20jingoism%20and%20settle%20the%20Kashmir%20dispute%20by%20recognising%20the%20Line%20of%20Control%20as%20an%20International%20Border.%20They%20feel%20that%20this%20is%20the%20only%20alternative%20to%20the%20endless%20hostility%20which%20only%20impoverishes%20both%20countries.

In%20his%20treatise%20Securing%20India%u2019s%20future%20in%20the%20new%20millennium%2C%20the%20well-known%20Indian%20strategic%20analyst%20Bramha%20Chellany%20has%20opined%3A

%u201CIn%20the%20long%20run%2C%20the%20only%20possible%20solution%20to%20the%20Kashmir%20dispute%20is%20for%20the%20three%20countries%20%28India%2C%20Pakistan%20and%20China%29%20to%20let%20bygone%20be%20bygones%20and%20agree%20to%20be%20content%20with%20the%20J%26amp%3BK%20territories%20they%20control.%u201D%20%26nbsp%3B

The%20undeniable%20fact%20is%20that%20India-Pakistan%20relations%20can%20only%20be%20set%20right%20through%20a%20spirit%20of%20give%20and%20take.%20%26nbsp%3BIf%20the%20willingness%20to%20compromise%20is%20absent%2C%20then%20the%20conflict%20cannot%20end%20and%20the%20hostility%20will%20keep%20increasing.%20It%20may%20take%20a%20very%20long%20time%20for%20everything%20to%20fall%20in%20place%3B%20there%20will%20be%20numerous%20set-backs.%20However%2C%20working%20towards%20this%20objective%20is%20preferable%20to%20just%20being%20reconciled%20to%20the%20war%20of%20attrition.

It%20goes%20without%20saying%20that%20one%20issue%20on%20which%20India%20cannot%20compromise%20is%20the%20demand%20that%20the%20nurseries%20of%20terrorism%20in%20Pakistan%20must%20be%20closed%20down.%20Hopefully%2C%20Pakistan%20will%20begin%20to%20realise%20that%20its%20policy%20of%20sponsoring%20%26nbsp%3Bterrorism%20is%20causing%20great%20damage%20to%20itself%2C%20as%20thousands%20of%20Pakistanis%20have%20died%20in%20acts%20of%20terrorism%20committed%20by%20the%20very%20same%20outfits%20which%20have%20been%20trained%20by%20the%20ISI%20and%20the%20armed%20forces.

%3Cstrong%3E%27Sone%20ki%20chidiya%27%20versus%20today%27s%20reality%3C/strong%3E

Many%20in%20India%20as%20well%20as%20in%20Pakistan%20hope%20that%20one%20day%20our%20countries%20could%20live%20together%20as%20prosperous%2C%20good%20neighbours%2C%20much%20as%20France%20and%20Germany%20do%20now%20after%20having%20endured%20centuries%20of%20mutual%20conflicts.%20They%20hark%20back%20to%20those%20days%20when%20the%20Indian%20sub-continent%20produced%20so%20much%20wealth%20that%20it%20was%20called%20%3Ci%3Esone%20ki%20chidiya%20%3C/i%3Eor%20a%20bird%20made%20of%20gold.

That%20bird%20is%20now%20malnourished%2C%20sick%20and%20weak.%20The%20IMF%20rankings%20of%20countries%20in%20terms%20of%20Per%20Capita%20Income%20%282020%20estimates%29%20place%20India%20at%20140%20in%20the%20list%20and%20Pakistan%20at%20150%20with%20figures%20of%20US%24%20%26nbsp%3B1%2C877%20and%20%241%2C378%20respectively.%20By%20comparison%2C%20Malaysia%20is%20ranked%2060%20with%20US%24%2010%2C192%2C%20Thailand%20at%2077%20with%20US%24%207%2C295%2C%20Indonesia%20at%20107%20with%20US%24%204%2C038%20and%20Sri%20Lanka%20at%20112%20with%20US%20%24%203%2C698.%20Even%20Bangladesh%20has%20overtaken%20India%20and%20Pakistan%20and%20ranks%20139%20with%20figures%20of%20%24%201%2C888.%20Only%20really%20underdeveloped%20countries%20rank%20behind%20the%20South%20Asian%20giants%20India%20and%20Pakistan.%20Despite%20the%20fact%20that%20the%20South%20Asian%20Association%20for%20Regional%20Cooperation%20%28SAARC%29%20has%20been%20in%20existence%20since%20December%201985%2C%20it%20has%20precious%20little%20to%20show%20by%20way%20of%20real%20cooperation%20unlike%20ASEAN%2C%20another%20regional%20cooperation%20organisation%20in%20Asia.

It%20is%20an%20axiomatic%20truth%20that%20our%20region%20needs%20development%20not%20conflict.%20To%20continue%20on%20our%20present%20path%20would%20be%20catastrophic.%20By%20working%20together%2C%20we%20can%20usher%20in%20a%20new%20age%20filled%20with%20hope%20not%20just%20for%20the%20two%20countries%20but%20for%20the%20whole%20of%20South%20Asia.

%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23India%22%20data-user-id%3D%22Bq4MmUPrXF8p%22%20href%3D%22/topic/india%22%3E%23India%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Pakistan%22%20data-user-id%3D%22wizuXkuQ3rL8%22%20href%3D%22/topic/pakistan%22%3E%23Pakistan%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23ImranKhan%22%20data-user-id%3D%22tbL4Yp2U2lPN%22%20href%3D%22/topic/imrankhan%22%3E%23ImranKhan%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23NarendraModi%22%20data-user-id%3D%222Mx5OKBUbZfx%22%20href%3D%22/topic/narendramodi%22%3E%23NarendraModi%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23LoC%22%20data-user-id%3D%22kBKbkTgfaDO0%22%20href%3D%22/topic/loc%22%3E%23LoC%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B