At a time when most of the developing and developed nations are vying for economic prosperity, we have a nation in Pakistan which has not till date thought beyond Kashmir when it comes to relations with India. Even, the US President Barak Obama has also made it clear to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and there is no need of third party mediation. And this is not for the first time America has made its stand clear on the issue. Earlier also it had kept away from the issue. Despite all its promises about reining in terrorists’ machinery on its soil Pakistan continued with nefarious activities and today no country believes in its promises. Sidelined by others on economic front Pakistan is isolated today. It should understand that the ground realities have changed much more than what these were in 1970s and 1980s and today interdependence of nations is very high when it comes to trade and business. Today when India is emerging as an economic power, which even US has also recognised, raking up of Kashmir issue by Pakistan looks too divisive an effort to gain global attention. It has missed one good opportunity to link with other nations at the SAARC meet in Kathmandu, when it stalled the inking of SAARC connectivity agreements including Motor Vehicle Pact saying it has yet to complete its internal process notwithstanding that other countries including India and Sri Lanka, who have been pitching for people-to-people contact and movement of goods in the region. India has already initiated bilateral connectivity pacts with SAARC nations and Motor Vehicle Agreement with Nepal is an example in that direction. Pakistan should see the changing global economics as a reality and not confine to Kashmir only which could be better for its own health rather than others.
