The Indian Panorama

Tag: Nuclear threat

  • Give us back friendliness of late 1970s

    Give us back friendliness of late 1970s

    By Shahzad Raza

    “Both nuclear rivals have almost tried all options — wars, dialogues and trade — but to no avail. The two sensitive issues, Kashmir and terrorism, have been hampering progress in other areas for long……… In 2009, at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh agreed to cooperate on fighting terrorism together. That was the most remarkable development after the deadly Mumbai attacks.”

    Pakistani schoolchildren of the 1980s had a great fascination with Indian classic Mahabharat, which was telecast on Doordarshan and used to reach TV sets across the border through analogue antennas. The character of Bheem was quite popular among viewers.

    That generation of the late 1970s or early 1980s, which had no remorse watching Indian entertainment shows, transferred the same fascination to their children who had Chotta Bheem to enjoy. Those who had access to PTV in India would still remember the character of Chaudhry Hashmat Ali of one of the greatest Pakistani drama, Waris.

    People were then beginning to forget the horrific memories of the Partition and two unfortunate wars. Pakistani agencies were not meddling in the Kashmir affairs and their Indian counterparts were not colluding with Afghans to fan separatism in Balochistan. Osama bin Laden and his jihadis were preparing to defeat the Red Army. Uncomprehending then was the frequent stalemates on multiple issues, including Kashmir, water, visas, trade, etc. India granted Pakistan MFN status, vying for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. However, Pakistani policy makers did not respond.

    Things changed drastically after the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaving Pakistan to bear the burden of refugees and radical ideologies. The jihadis had no inclination to return to their barracks like a regular army. Many of them joined Kashmir separatist groups, sparking serious tension between the two neighbors.

    The complexities of proxy war were not suitable for both India and Pakistan, given their proximity, economies and cultural bonds. Yet, the two countries have been exhausting themselves since the end of the first Afghan war.

    Both nuclear rivals have almost tried all options — wars, dialogues and trade — but to no avail. The two sensitive issues, Kashmir and terrorism, have been hampering progress in other areas for long. During Gen Pervez Musharraf’s regime, a remarkable progress was made on the Kashmir issue. The last People’s Party government almost convinced the then Indian government to stop accusing Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism. In 2009, at Sharm-el-Sheikh, former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh agreed to cooperate on fighting terrorism together. That was the most remarkable development after the deadly Mumbai attacks.

    The successive PML-Nawaz government took several bold initiatives but for one reason or other things went back to square one. For a long time, Indian policy makers kept on pressing Pakistan to leave the issue of Kashmir until there was a congenial atmosphere. Pakistani establishment was not listening. Now both civilian and military leaderships in Pakistan are talking about building the same atmosphere through economic and cultural ties. The Indians are not listening, perhaps because of the impending General Election.

    Musharraf and his PM Shaukat Aziz envisioned if the bilateral trade was increased it would diminish the state-level animosity. They often cited the example of Germany and France that how the World War-II rivals rebuilt their relations through trade. The incumbent government of PTI in Pakistan feels the same. Germany and France are a classic example for the neighboring countries to repair the fractured relations. The South Asian rivals have their own Alsace-Lorraine — Kashmir. The nature of conflict and emotional attachment with the beautiful territory cannot be underestimated.

    Both have their stakes in Afghanistan. What if the two sides, somehow, start considering that barren land their Alsace-Lorraine. What if Pakistan and India take over the process of rebuilding Afghanistan together? Dialogue with the Taliban seems to have entered the final stage. Pakistan can still use whatever leverage left over Taliban. And India can pull strings and make Afghani establishment toe the line. Together, the two countries could do wonders in Afghanistan. While shifting their joint interests into a third country, both neighbors must revive once strong cultural ties.

    Warmongers need to take a back seat. The next course should be determined by the likes of late Asma Jehangir and Arundhati Roy. Can’t Pakistan’s real estate tycoon Malik Riaz build urban metropolises in Afghanistan, with steel provided by Lakshmi Mittal? Otherwise, dare one can say that sudden death is much better than prolonged and painful illness through slow poisoning.

    (Source: Tribune India)

  • Kim Jong Un makes history, crosses border to meet his rival

    Kim Jong Un makes history, crosses border to meet his rival

    This the first time one of the ruling leaders has crossed over the Demilitarized Zone since the Korean War ended in 1953.

    GAYANG, SOUTH KOREA(TIP): With a single step over a weathered, cracked slab of concrete, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made history on Friday, April 27, by crossing over the world’s most heavily armed border to greet his rival, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, for talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Mr. Kim then invited Mr. Moon to cross briefly north with him before they returned to the southern side.

    It was all smiles as Mr. Moon grasped Mr. Kim’s hand and led him along a red carpet into South Korean territory, where school children placed flowers and an honor guard stood at attention for inspection.

    Mr. Kim’s news agency said that the leader would “open-heartedly” discuss “all the issues arising in improving inter-Korean relations and achieving peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean peninsula” in a “historic” summit. It’s the first time one of the ruling leaders has crossed over to the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone since the Korean War ended in 1953.

    The greeting of the two leaders was planned to the last detail. Thousands of journalists were kept in a huge conference center well away from the summit, except for a small group of tightly-controlled pool reporters at the border. Mr. Moon stood near the Koreas’ dividing line, moving forward the moment he glimpsed Kim appearing in front of a building on the northern side. They shook hands with the border line between them. Mr. Moon then invited Mr. Kim to cross into the South; Mr. Kim invited Mr. Moon into the North, and they then took a ceremonial photo facing the North and then another photo facing the South.

    Two fifth-grade students from the Daesongdong Elementary School, the only South Korean school within the DMZ, greeted the leaders and gave them flowers. The leaders then saluted an honor guard and military band, and Mr. Kim was introduced to South Korean government officials. They were to take a photo inside the Peace House, where the summit was to take place, in front of a painting of South Korea’s Bukhan Mountain, which towers over the South Korean Blue House presidential mansion.

    Nuclear weapons will top the agenda, and Friday’s summit will be the clearest sign yet of whether it’s possible to peacefully negotiate those weapons away from a country that has spent decades doggedly building its bombs despite crippling sanctions and near-constant international opprobrium.

    Expectations are generally low, given that past so-called breakthroughs on North Korea’s weapons have collapsed amid acrimonious charges of cheating and bad faith.

    (Source: AP)

  • North Korea offers to denuclearize without demanding withdrawal of US troops from peninsula

    North Korea offers to denuclearize without demanding withdrawal of US troops from peninsula

    Offer conveyed via South Korean president ahead of critical talks between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

    WASHINGTON(TIP): As a planned summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un approaches, Pyongyang has indicated it would abandon its nuclear program without requiring American troops to leave the Korean Peninsula.

    “The North is expressing a will for a complete denuclearization”, South Korean president Moon Jae-in said to reporters. “They have not attached any conditions that the U.S. cannot accept, such as the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea. All they are talking about is the end of hostile policies against North Korea, followed by a guarantee of security”.

    Achieving a deal on those terms would represent a resounding success for Mr Trump, who months earlier had threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea during a United Nations speech to world leaders.

    North Korea has long decried the presence of US troops, and their regular joint drills with South Korean forces, as provocations that could presage an invasion and necessitate Pyongyang’s military buildup.

    But any demands for an exit of US troops would likely be a nonstarter for America. Despite nascent diplomatic efforts, the Trump administration has stuck by a campaign of “maximum pressure” and harsh sanctions on the North Korean regime.

    The commitment to denuclearize while allowing US forces to remain, conveyed via a South Korean leader who has prioritized better relations with the North, continued diplomatic maneuvering ahead of high-stakes talks. Earlier this month CIA director Mike Pompeo met with Mr Kim in Pyongyang, and Mr Trump said efforts are on pace to convene talks by June.

    After spending the first stretch of Mr Trump’s term threatening to devastate other countries and testing increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles believed to be capable of hitting the US mainland, North Korea pivoted to talking with the South and extending Mr Trump an invitation to meet with Mr Kim.

    Paralleling the American-led efforts to end the North Korean nuclear threat, South Korea is hoping to use the diplomatic opening to achieve a lasting change to the status quo on the Korean Peninsula.

    Earlier in the week, South Korean officials said they hoped to also strike a peace accord to formally bring an end to the Korean War, which halted with a 1953 armistice but never again technically ended in the decades the north and the south spent warily watching each other across a heavily fortified border.

    Taken together, the efforts to conclude the war and dismantle Pyongyang’s weapons program offer the contours of a sweeping response to one of the world’s most intractable issues.

    Mr Trump expressed both hopefulness and a willingness to abandon the talks if they prove futile, saying earlier this week that the US would do “everything possible to make it a worldwide success” but adding that America might still walk away.

    “If I think that it’s a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we’re not going to go”, Mr Trump told reporters. “If the meeting, when I’m there, is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting”.