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Lessons for Imran Khan from a 20-year-old untold story on India-Pak peace

Shekhar Gupta recounts an untold story of how Nawaz Sharif tried to make peace with Vajpayee but was tripped by Pakistan's army. Imran faces the same hurdle 20 years on

Illustration by Binay Sinha
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Illustration by Binay Sinha

Shekhar Gupta
The day Imran Khan takes oath as prime minister of Pakistan — even as the 30th anniversary of Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s death is being observed — should be ideal for me to tell this still mostly untold story of a dramatic attempt at peace-making ever by the elected leaders of our two countries. One of the two leaders it involves passed away Thursday. The other is incarcerated in a brutal Rawalpindi prison. Another part player in this saga is this writer. This week’s National Interest, therefore, is also in the nature of a confession.

Mian Nawaz Sharif won his second term
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