More people-to-people exchanges, and talks, both formal and informal, are the way forward for an end to the bilateral tensions hobbling the India-Pakistan relations, members of a group from India that attended a Track-II dialogue in Islamabad earlier this month, have said.
Six members from India, including civil society activists,journalists and members of policy institutes, attended the ‘India-PakistanTrack-II Bilateral Dialogue’ held in Islamabad on July 12-13. It was the firstsuch initiative after the Pulwama attack that soured relations between the twoneighbours.
“After the Pulwama attack and the tensions, it wasimportant to initiate a dialogue, especially among civil society. It was moresymbolic in that sense. Measures to facilitate more people to people contact,especially medical tourism, having an easier visa regime, the trade relations –that was basically what was talked about,” Devika Mittal, India convenorof Aaghaz-e-Dosti that works for peace between the two nations, told IANS.
Though there was no official level representation from Indiaat the event, hosted by the Islamabad-based Regional Peace Institute (RPI),Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria did host the Indian participants forlunch. The event was supported by the United States Institute for Peace (USIP).The conference discussed “the areas in which India and Pakistan canmutually benefit and can connect”, said Mittal
“It discussed trade, the need for more culturalexchanges, and exchanges in knowledge, and in media as well. It was morefocussed on knowledge sharing,” she added. A second such dialogue is beingplanned in Delhi in September, though dates have not been decided yet.
There was “no discordant note” during the event.”It was pretty smooth, there were no issues,” she added.
Dr Dhananjay Tripathi, Senior Assistant Professor,Department of International Relations, South Asian University, anotherparticipant from India, said that at the end of the Track II dialogue the twosides “decided that both sides should continue with talks, formal andinformal – both”. Besides the six from India, there were 13 participantsfrom Pakistan, “all young people and mid-career”.
“Medical tourism came up for discussion, and that visasshould be made easy. The issue of Pakistan’s closed air space also came up,though now it has been opened up,” Tripathi told IANS. “The visaprocess from both sides has to be liberalised, connectivity and trade, which isright now very bad, were some of the points that were discussed and highlighted.That people-to-people relationship should continue and talks, both formal andinformal, should continue at different times,” he added.
He expressed hope that the September conference should beheld as planned.
Raoof Hasan, founder of the Regional Peace Institute, wasquoted as saying: “Track-II diplomacy is the first step to improverelations between the governments of both the countries.” He said that themain objective of the talks was to bring the youth of the two countries towardspeace.
Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign AffairsAndleeb Abbas, addressed the talk on the second and final day. She stressed ongreater people to people contacts to normalise the bilateral relationship.
Abbas said the 770 million youths on both sides of theborder are a “ray of hope” and by bringing them together a paradigmshift can be brought in the bilateral relationship of the two countries.
A press release issued after the two-day talks”underlined the need for communication to remain open even in times ofcrises. The conference provided a candid platform for exchange of ideas tocultivate an environment of peace in both the countries.”
It said that “Forums like these are essential to pave the way for deeper understanding between the two countries and must be encouraged.” The conference was held under the theme of ‘Beyond Politics and Polemics- New Beginning on a Difficult Trail’. “There is a strong feeling that enhanced connectivity between the two countries will create corridors of peace…. They look forward to the second round to be held in Delhi with the hope that communication channels between civil societies always remain open regardless of the political climate,” it said. IANS