peaceful
South Asia is imperative to resist the onslaught of the west.
This was stated by former finance minister and peace stalwart Dr. Mubashir Hasan, while addressing a dialogue on Possibilities of Indo-Pak Rapprochement, organised by Pak-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) in collaboration with Journalists Resource Centre (JRC) at Press Club on March 21, 2000.
While elaborating his point of view, he said that the western onslaught of privatisation and globalisation promises no future to the third world and to safeguard out interests, we need to ensure that both Pakistan and India resolve the conflict in a peaceful manner.
Giving a brief overview of the similar efforts for reconciliation between the two countries in the past, he said that the initiative of the people to start second track diplomacy gained impetus in the 1990s. According to an independent report as many as 76 different government, semi-government and non-government organisations actively engaged in the efforts for rapprochement between the two countries.
He said that people in Pakistan held the stance that since India had not accepted the existence of Pakistan, there was no point in entering into a dialogue with them. But Vajpayee's visit to Pakistan and declaration were enough for us to realise that India considers it more beneficial to improve ties with He added that he had been stressing for the last six years that strength of Pakistan was in the interest of India. Since the Indians have traditionally experienced invasions from the Northwest, having better ties with Pakistan India could ensure peace on its north-western borders.
He said that United States
felt threatened owing to the increasing military strength of India and
for the reason it had offered membership of UN security council to India
if the latter disbands its nuclear programme. He viewed that since Indian
government had no intentions to stop its nuclear programme the strife between
India and America was bound to increase. He furthered his argument saying
that we should carefully watch our own interests rather than becoming a
stooge in the hands of America.
About the potential threat
of war he said that we should not have the fear that India could conquer
us nor should we fancy the fallacy that we could crush India.
He said that the last two major combats between the two countries had been fought following the war ethics as the areas of vital importance and civilian population were not targeted.
He observed that the politicians had finally realised that people wanted peace and they were looking forward to reconciliation with India. He told to set aside any approvals or dismissals of the World Bank and other international donors regarding Pak-India reconciliation, because they did not matter nor hold the key to the people's wishes. President PIPFPD, Mr Aziz Mazhar, and executive director JRC, Mohammad Tanveer also spoke on the occasion.
