Pakistan-India relations: Prospects and challenges

India-Pakistan Relationships: Prospects and challenges 

Pakistan and India have strained their political ties, particularly over Kashmir, a Himalayan region that was divided between the two countries in 1947 due to a dispute over the Redcliff Award. Along their tense border, they have fought three wars and several skirmishes since then.

The Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan agreed in a joint statement on February 25, 2021, to strictly adhere to all agreements and cease firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and all other sectors at midnight on February 24 and 25, 2021.

In light of the record number of ceasefire violations (CFVs) in previous years, this represented significant progress toward establishing peace along the border that is beneficial to both parties and can last for a long time.

Since the ceasefire agreement went into effect, no ceasefire violations have been reported, so people who live along the line of Control and other parts of the border are now having a good time.

Along the international border, there was no single shot fired for the first time in 18 years.

Aside from that, both sides frequently used artillery, mortars, and small arms at the Line of Control. The Pakistani military's media arm, the ISPR, reports that Indian troops broke the ceasefire 2340 times in 2020, which is too many since 2003.

Indian Army Chief General Naravane stated in February 2022 that India had negotiated from a "position of strength" and that the ceasefire agreement on the LoC was holding.

Pakistan later rejected the statement. The claim was characterized as "clearly misleading" by the military spokesperson.

He stated that Pakistan "only due to Pakistan's concerns for the safety of people of Kashmir living on both sides of the LoC" reached an agreement on the ceasefire.

"No side should mistake it for their strength or the weakness of the other." The border residents' lives have returned to normality as a result of the ceasefire agreement.

It will also put an end to the dangers of confrontation and fighting on the border between India and Pakistan.

After the successful implementation of the ceasefire, both nations are now able to reestablish full diplomatic relations, which Pakistan had downgraded as a result of India's illegal violation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The possibility of trade between two states in close proximity is returning. whereas the borders between India and Pakistan are peaceful.

Both nations are exchanging accusations regarding their sponsorship of proxies and militancy.

As a result, the two neighboring states' mistrust persisted. In a veiled attack on Pakistan and China, Indian Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar stated that it is crucial that all states collectively follow an undifferentiated and undiluted approach to terrorism on November 19, 2022, while addressing a counterterrorism summit in New Delhi.

Terror is terror, and there is never any political justification for it. India is accused by Pakistan of supporting state terrorism against Indian minorities, also known as "Saffron Terrorism."

Munir Akram, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said that global counterterrorism efforts haven't stopped India from using state terrorism.

In addition, in December 2022, Pakistan urged the international community to hold India accountable for its crimes by sharing a dossier with the Islamabad-based diplomatic corps, which included envoys from permanent -5 (P-5) members of the UN Security Council, that contained evidence of India's state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan.

Pakistan's Interior Minister recently said that India was behind a bombing in 2021 near the home of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of a militant Islamist group that was blamed for the Mumbai attack in 2008 that killed many people.

He added that Pakistan's counterterrorism unit had recently detained a number of cell members following the discovery of clues to their involvement in the 2021 suicide bombing.

He claimed that the group was supported by India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). India and Pakistan are home to nearly one fourth of the world's population.

The most recent data from the World Bank indicate that India has a GDP per capita income of approximately 2277 dollars, which is lower than that of Malaysia, Mexico, and Taiwan.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has a GDP per capita income of $1,600, which is lower than the GDPs of Kenya and Senegal. Young people make up a significant portion of the populations of both nations.

64% of people in Pakistan are under the age of 30. Pakistan is thought to have the fifth largest population of young people worldwide.

India is also ranked as one of the nations with the youngest populations. Both nations must reevaluate their destabilizing policies immediately.

Saffron terrorism, a recent uptick in right-wing activities, is not only posing a threat to Indian minorities but also threatening peace in the region.

Peace in South Asia is also greatly harmed by proxy activities like the terrorist attack in Lahore last year.

Pakistan has already taken significant measures against militant groups and has repeatedly criticized the state's policy of sponsoring terrorism.

However, Pakistan and India may collaborate on an investigation to pursue those responsible for the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

India and Pakistan's peaceful coexistence would not only benefit South Asia, but also significantly contribute to global peace and prosperity.