Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the capacity to spring a surprise because he realises that two important core interests of India are linked with viz. relationship with Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict, the biggest impediment in the rise of India. Today both India and Pakistan realises the cardinal truth that the rising of tension would be devastating, debilitating and damaging. India has made it clear that it has no intention to add to the strain in ties with Pakistan caused by Islamabad’s continued policy of cross-border terrorism. Tension in the relationship between the two countries has been caused by Pakistan’s continued policy of directing cross border terrorism against India and supporting other anti-India activities. Even Pakistan too has struck a conciliatory stand and had said that it does not want to live in “perpetual hostility” with India, noting time has come for the two neighbours to decide whether status quo should continue or a new beginning be made. The recent comments of , Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit at a discussion on Indo-Pak relations came amid escalating tension between the two countries over a number of cross-border terror attacks, including at army establishments in Uri and Nagrota, and India’s surgical strikes across the LoC in September. But surprisingly Pakistan did not miss the opportunity to rake up Kashmir issue. Basit was vociferous over the issue and said for Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir was the core issue between the two countries and finding a solution to it could bridge the trust deficit between the two countries. He also advocated for retaining a dialogue mechanism to convert the conflict management to conflict resolution. The sudden change in heart it looks Pakistan has realised the futility of raking issues out of no issues by hyping the cross-border tensions. The sudden change of heart is welcome, but the sincerity behind the move does leave some questions unanswered.
