If one is interested in any serious answers and discussion, then i think jokes and jokers of Express Tribune should be put aside. No matter how bitter the truth is, one must try to get to the fact and present the solution in a realistic manner. The problem of India and Pakistan has historical perspective and also is deeply affected by global politics of today.
Ideologically both India and China are different from Pakistan. If Pakistan can have strategic partnership with China, why it can't have with India? National Interests? Well National interests are defined by first defining the nation! Unfortunately whenever there is an effort from Pakistani side for friendship, Indians insist on marriage! which is not the case about Chinese. One reason of this problem is the way children are told in India about how the world was created with Maurya empire already ruling everything from central Asia to Myanmar! No my friends! Central Asia, Afghanistan, Indus Valley and even the western states of today's India have always lived separate from Central and South East India! Prior to Alexander's assault, Pakistan was part of The Achaemenid Persian Empire, then it was invaded by Alexander, but not fully controlled! Then briefly for almost 100 years it remained a part of Maurya Empire, then it separated and again became a part of persian empire. Then these were Mughal who united the whole subcontinent, and it was only during the Mughal Rule that there was never an effort for separation from the western parts. Then again it disintegrated into hundred of states which the East India company fought to establish their rule over South Asia. Unfortunately, there are people who still cherish the dream of Akhand Bharat. I once saw Vajpai reciting his pathetic poetry and cursing Pakistanis for betraying the mother (United India), Seriously! Get a life! British had fought hundreds of states and dynasties to establish their rule over subcontinent, and when they left, it consisted of two states, there was no partition!
A new factor got intense about our relationship with India after Arab Israel War of 1967. No one can explain US-Israeli cooperation according to any principles of International Relations, but for India and Israel, its about the common "enemy".
From Pakistani side, there are people like Zaid Hamid who consider that the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) about the conquest of India is yet to be fulfilled, but mainstream scholars are of the view that it has already been fulfilled as the subcontinent has already been been ruled by Muslims for centuries. Moreover there is yet another point. In the literature of that time, Hind was used in view of Indus, and technically the Indus is in Pakistan, and the word India for todays India is a misnomer!! Among all the sayings of the Prophet which Zaid Hamid quotes, only two are authentic, and both of them dont make it clear that Hind shall be conquered again.
1st Hadith:
Abu Hurairah (R.A.) said that my intimate friend Muhammad (Sall-Allaho-'Alayhe-Wasallam) told me that:
In this Ummah, the troops would be headed towards Sindh & Hind [Musnad of Ahmed Bin Hanbal and many other books]
2nd Hadith:
Two groups amongst My Ummah would be such, to whom Allah has freed from fire; One group would attack India & the Second would be that who would accompany Isa Ibn-e-Maryam (A.S.). [Musnad of Ahmed Bin Hanbal and many other books]
Both of the above ahadith are not enough to satisfy the scenario presented by Zaid Hamid. All others are of weak authenticiy. No one, be it Zaid Hamid or anyone else, can prove otherwise. I agree there are no narrations to prove him wrong as well! This is something undetermined and he should not be so vocal about something that ambiguous.
I presented my point of view according to the best of my knowledge. You may disagree with it and correct me where ever im wrong. In the end, I pray to God to grant both India and Pakistan a happy, prosperous and peaceful future. Ameen.