Pak-India Dialogue Process on VOA Urdu News
NOTE: The following video is in the Urdu language. Pakistan and Indian Prime Ministers held a meeting in Bhutan Thursday on the sidelines of the SAARC (South Asian Association for RegionalCooperation). All important issues, including terrorism, Kashmir and water, were discussed in the meeting. Both sides have termed the meeting a positive development in the […]
Think South Asian
Foreign Minister Natwar Singh’s visit to Pakistan was an important milestone on the road to a full and lasting peace in South Asia. While the two agreements signed were not substantial in nature and the expected agreement on Siachen did not materialize, the body language was very positive and boded well for the future. While we are still skirting on the core issue of Kashmir, there is need to instill confidence in the ongoing process by showing actual progress in Siachen, Sir Creek, Baghlihar Dam, etc. Natwar Singh is no ordinary diplomat, he has first-hand knowledge of Pakistan, indeed all of South Asia. With his own considerable skills as a negotiator and inherent knowledge of the problems between Pakistan and India, his has been a very positive role in overcoming the obstacles to peace.
Two Countries, One Nation
For over 30 years now we have been carrying the burden of the horrific experience of the break-up of the country, in one symbolic measure the President set the ghosts of 1971 to rest. A simple apology meant a lot to the Bangladeshi psyche, the President being a uniformed person the effect was force-multiplied many times. The official Bangladeshi reaction was swift and concise, 1971 is now behind us, it was time to move ahead and strengthen relations to the benefit of both countries. Both for Pakistan and Bangladesh it was important to get over 1971.
Trade with India
An intense debate is going on within Pakistan, orchestrated mainly by government and trade circles about conferring the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India in reciprocation in the implementing of the new World Trade Organisation (WTO) Accord which has replaced GATT. Pakistan reached an Accord last December (1995) with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Trade Agreement (SAPTA) identifying 226 items for preferential treatment in import trade between the member countries. Customs notification giving India preference in 106 items and Pakistan in 35 items have been issued. Along with business colleagues throughout the country, the Federal Commerce Minister, Choudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, is campaigning for full scale trade with India, the commercial-minded see only pots of gold at the end of this rainbow in utter disregard of any other considerations.
Pakistan Steel is presently importing iron ore from Goa and the emergency import of 200000 MT sugar by TCP is likely to be repeated. The greatest advocate of a strong two-way trade with India is the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) whose members look with some anticipation at the cheap machinery in place of the expensive machinery presently being obtained from western sources. It is believed that all the five committees sanctioned by the Government of Pakistan (GoP) to examine the opening of full scale trade with India have recommended an early resumption of such trade.