“We have to try to forget whatever happened in 1947 and to empower each other as good neighbors. The war of words should be stopped now. Both countries have their own problems. They don't have time to interfere in each other’s issues,” said Tarique Mahmood Shaam, former Editor-in-Chief of The Jang Group of Pakistan and presently Group Editor of ARY channel.
“The ruling party in Pakistan has positive thinking about India, and this is the high time to solve all problems and disputes between the two countries,” said Shaam. “We have to think in broad perspective and continue the dialogue process.” the veteran Pakistani journalist told this writer on his recent visit to New Delhi
'Aman ki Asha' (hope of peace), a peace initiative launched between the two countries by The Jang Group of Pakistan and Times of India, was the brainchild of this Pakistani journalist with international fame.
Talking about the peace initiative, he said that 'Aman ki Asha' could not get success in terms of reaching a large section of common people. It could not go beyond business line, he said.
“We will have to involve poets, writers and other literary personalities to make this initiative successful,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of India and Pakistan in today’s world, he said that the whole world, including the United States and Europe, wanted establishment of peace in both the countries. The whole world is interested in peace in the region because both the countries have largest market for different multinational companies, he pointed out.
Talking about the Kashmir dispute, he said that India is considered world’s largest democracy but why it failed to build up confidence in Kashmiris in the past 62 years. Why the innocent Kashmiris are worried about their rights, he asked.
On the question of insurgency and penetration into the internal security in India by militants, he said: “Nobody can deny that both countries are facing the repercussions of terrorism. Both India and Pakistan have concerns on security issues in the region. No substantial action is being initiated to resolve the issue on priority basis; only a blame game is going on between the two countries. The Indian Government says that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sends militants here, and on the other side, the Pakistan Government says that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is involved in terror activities in Pakistan.”
“But the important question is that how it is possible. How insurgents cross the line of control (LoC), and why our border security forces fail to trace them out,” Shaam questioned. Talking about the root of dispute between India and Pakistan, he said
“The people of India and Pakistan are more realistic than their politicians. Our politicians are not representing the sentiments of people of both sides. In Pakistan, there is a feudal system of administration.” He said that there were tribal administration in Punjab and Sind Provinces of Pakistan. There is no feudalism in India but ironically, cast system is deep rooted in the Indian society.
Politicians exploit people's sentiments and feelings on the name of caste, creed, religion and language. We are still very far away from our ideal democratic structure,” Shaam said sadly.
(The author is a Delhi-based journalist attached with Urdu monthly Afkar-e-Milli, and can be reached at abuzafar@journalist.com)
http://twocircles.net/2011jan08/we_must_end_war_words_resume_dialogue_exjang_editor.html_0
