With the government in New Delhi in limbo, none of the initiatives of the Deve Gowda government may survive the next twist in the political play. Nevertheless, the first foreign minister-level meeting between India and Pakistan in eight years seems to have been held in a positive atmosphere "" albeit against the backdrop of domestic political turmoil. This sets the stage, at the very least, for what diplomats like to call confidence-building measures which (if all goes well) lead to more substantive progress. At a time when many intractable regional conflicts have been resolved all over the world and valiant efforts are being made to rescue the West Asian peace initiative, India and Pakistan should be trying for a more peaceful future for the region despite the known intractability of the problem between them. I K Gujral, whose able handling of external affairs even catapulted him briefly to the position of a possible candidate for prime ministership, may have a personal urge, in view
of his own Lahore Government College days, to see friendship resorted with Pakistan. But that should be seen as a plus by the Indian foreign policy and defence establishments, and his approach should be persisted with by whichever government now assumes office in New Delhi.
India went in for the latest initiative, after a new government came to power in Pakistan, with two decisive advantages. First, a point was made by successfully holding elections in Jammu & Kashmir, in the teeth of opposition from the state's militants, and the institution of popular government. This has given great legitimacy to the Indian position on Kashmir. Second, the last elections in Pakistan were remarkable for being the first where Kashmir was not a major campaign issue. The people's hardship and good governance were. This has given added force to the Indian desire to initiate confidence building measures, ease travel restrictions, promote mutually beneficial trade and create an atmosphere in which the more intractable issues vitiating the relationship between the two countries can be examined. It is only when the process reaches such a stage that novel solutions or clever fudges to tackle the old problems can emerge.
Thus it is entirely sensible and positive for India to have taken the unilateral measures to ease travel as a first step to set the peace process moving. The danger, of course, is that the internal equations in Pakistan can change and the entire process can be nullified. This will give the BJP a chance to renew and reassert its strident posture and ridicule peaceniks like Mr Gujral. So there is indeed a downside for Indian political sections to consider while taking an initiative to thaw relations with Pakistan. But peace never comes without someone risking his credibility, if not his position, and the current situation is probably better than it has been for a long time for making a new beginning. Mr Gujral, now a caretaker in his corner of South Block, may be derided at a later date as an unsuccessful peacemonger, but the greater possibility is that he will be seen to have seized the moment and set the stage for better things to come.
