I disagree here. It's not as simple as that.
Can one have talks with a gun pointed at one's head? For far too long has Pakistan indulged in double speak and keeping Kashmir on the boil through their stooges in Kashmir, the Hurriyat, the self styled 'representatives' of the Kashmiris who have almost zero credibility in the Valley.
The truth is that the Pak Army which controls Pakistan's foreign policy especially in relation to India and Afghanistan, needs to keep the Indian 'threat' alive, without which their very raison d'etre would be at stake. They would be sidelined and lose their importance in Pakistan. So they need an enemy to keep up the charade, which needless to say is India. And what better way than to keep Kashmir on the boil?
And then there are vested interests in Pakistan that want to keep Indo-Pak hostilities alive. An example is the JuD that collects millions of rupees from the sheeple, by its anti-India tirades, without which contributions would dry up. They need a reason which is the 'liberation of Kashmir'. A very convenient motive as this could last for decades resulting in a steady flow of funds into their coffers.
There are wheels within wheels and too many vested interest who do not want peace. And the Hurriyat is a convenient Trojan Horse planted in Kashmir by Pakistan's ISI and the Pak Establishment at large.
The Pakistan Army must seriously reconsider their geopolitical strategy and cease supporting groups inimical to peace in the region, press the restart button in foreign policy that uses terrorist groups as 'strategic assets' (as Gen Kayani himself had said) and change the dynamics in its relations with India that poses no threat at the present juncture.
It's not simple off course. But in fact India right now is in unique position to make progress here on this issue, if you could shed the impression of talk and mediator as a sign of weakness. Political parties in India are highly dependent on voter sentiment for their survival and it ties their hands on making bold decisions for the long term good of India itself. Consider following:
1. India has a degree of leverage on US and west now along with Russia. If India feels Pakistan will betray its commitments they can act as guarantors, given the weak economy of Pakistan right now and the leverage they have on Pakistan.
2. Resolving this issue frees up a lot of resources for India which it can divert to social development, which let's agree needs attention. These resources will also help India in its look east policy and bolster its status there.
3. Making people of Kashmir part of the solution will bolster India's image at diplomatic level which, let's agree again does not match its economic image.
4. Army does control foreign policy but army also keeps Pakistan stable. I know you will disagree here but the truth is army is the only institute which is trusted by people and internal threats don't play well for its own very existence. There has been a change in Army's thinking and it has become more state minded than non state actors minded. There is opportunity for India right there.
5. Truth be told, we in Pakistan have been wary of threats to our existence and independence. So we react sharply even if it just is our perception. More hostile and insulting Indian attitude gets, more we will go in overdrive to react. Now if you can step back a little and see things in long term, you will know for better part of our history we have been ahead than India in terms of life style, growth and poverty etc. Population to resource ratio for Pakistan is better than it is for India. But you have set your economy on right path in two decades and we have not. So you are better off. But Pakistan is not doomed, it is no small country and can do alot better in reasonably less time. If threat remains in our perception, all that growth turns into weapons, for both countries. This has the potential of undoing growth for both nations. Till what time we will keep indulging in conflicts?
Europe is a good example. They have small and large countries. They fought and hated each others for centuries. Worst of conflicts in entire human history happened there. When they had killed enough of their neighbors, they realized either they can not change their neighbors, ever! Either keep killing and dying or sort out their differences and look to developing their countries. So India and Pakistan can fight and kill for next many centuries and come to same conclusion or just use their heads and realize they can not finish off each other. Not even with nuclear weapons. Both countries will have to show flexibility here. Not as a sign of weakness but as a sign of prudence.
Or just keep killing each other. That would please some here.
