After World War II, the British left India partitioning it in creating Pakistan as a separate homeland for the undivided Indian Muslims. There was trans-migration of millions of Hindus, Sikhs & other minor communities from Pakistan to India and Muslims from India to Pakistan. The partition erupted another era filled with large scale human miseries, chaos, conflict, confusion, hatred, and mistrust, & newer economic, social & political injustices leaving behind the wildest human post-disaster psychological and emotional trauma.
Since both land & maritime boundaries were not well-defined running along well explicated geographical features, many families suffered whose agricultural land fell in the one country and the houses & villagers in the other. The plethora of endless Pakistan centric disputes arose that India had to face. Most of them remain unresolved due to Pakistani obstinacy, mistrust & state-sponsored terrorists’ belligerency.
Major India – Pakistan Issues:
The Kashmir dispute:
Kashmir is the core issue between India & Pakistan. On 1 Jan 1949 when ceasefire was agreed with 65% of the state in Indian control & rest with Pakistan. Ever since there have been four wars between these South Asian neighbours.
Low Intensify Conflict/Proxy War & Militants Attacks:
Whenever peace processes are initiated, Pakistani Army, ISI and Jihadis outfits launch lethal attacks on high value targets in India. India has always provided hard evidence like that of Pakistani citizen Kasab or Pakistani-American David Headley in the Mumbai blasts. Pakistan consistently denies these facts.
Support to Khalistan Movement in Punjab:
Though the Sikh militancy has been controlled by India after heavy losses in men & materials, Pakistan has been deeply involved in the training, guiding and arming Sikh militants.
Siachen Glacial Area:
Siachen is the world’s highest battleground and both countries have faced off in these Karakorum ranges since 1984 suffering more casualties than perhaps in all the wars both countries have fought so far at colossal costs.
Afghanistan:
Afghanistan, India & Pakistan are geographically part of South Asia. The impending departure of NATO combat forces from Afghanistan will push India and Pakistan towards a proxy war in the conflict-ridden state, as both endeavour for greater influence in devastated country. However, while India’s primary role is financial aid & infrastructure building in war torn Afghanistan, Pakistan feels Indian role aims at creating anti-Pakistan sentiments.
Revenge for Creation of Bangladesh:
Pakistan‘s national pride was greatly crushed on the liberation of Bangladesh in Dec 1971 with tacit Indian support. Every Pakistani is made to vow in schools, madrassas & military training establishments to avenge this defeat. With this deficiency in Pakistani mindset, peace can hardly prevail in this region.
Trade & Visa regime:
India is the largest economy of South Asia with a GDP in PPP $7.3 trillion in 2014 followed by Pakistan with nominal GDP of $241 billion. Informal trade flows were estimated to be $4.71 billion in 2013-14 between two countries. India’s exports to Pakistan were estimated to be $3.99 billion and imports from Pakistan $0.72 billion. So there is big deficit for Pakistan.
Rivers:
Immediately after the partition, the dispute over sharing the Indus River water was taken to the World Bank. Both countries disagree over the use of the water flowing from the Indian Kashmir to the Indus river basin in Pakistan.
Sir Creek & Maritime Boundary:
Sir Creek is a 96 Km long estuary in the Arabian Sea running in marshy land lying along the Indo-Pak border. This channel keeps shifting with tides and seasons and thus maritime boundary needed to be settled following the meridian principle running through the mid-channel while Pakistan claims the entire creek as its own.
Nuclear:
Both countries are nuclear and it is reported that unstable Pakistan has 110 to 130 nuclear war heads and the prospects of some nuclear weapons meant as deterrent against India falling in the hands of Let, Taliban or al-Qaida exists immensely.
Role of Super Powers in resolving Indo-Pak disputes:
Pakistan has been a major ally & friend of the US, and a member of the erstwhile CENTO and SEATO to contain erstwhile Soviet Union, China and spread of communism in South Asia. The US has been giving substantial economic and military aid to Pakistan. Pakistan also maintains a close alliance with NATO and is one of the trusted lieutenants of expanding China. Both Pakistan and India matter significantly to the US and its allies. India and the US also maintain good relations being the largest and the oldest democracies in the world.
The US is interested in the prevention ofof a major war between India and Pakistan and further nuclear proliferation, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, expanding economic growth, trade and investment. The US also needs to encourage Pakistan to develop robust democratic institutions like India and dwell it to rein ISI and its army in stopping a proxy war on India or else economic and military aid would be curtailed and numerous sanctions imposed. Ever since 9/11 and Bin Laden’s assassination in Pakistan, the US has felt the reach of al Qaida and other terrorist outfits and involvement of Pakistan in supporting and exporting terrorism.
India & France have cordial relations and both are victims of Muslim terrorism. With the reciprocal visit of French President Hollande to India and negotiation worth $150 billion for 36 Raffles combat aircrafts and the airbus pact for military helicopters, Indian and French relations will be further strengthened. France can therefore play an active role in urging India and Pakistan to bilaterally resolve all outstanding issues.
India has good relations with UK and though Pakistan is in the Commonwealth, but it has been in and out of the organization in the past. The UK, along with EU members, has a significant role in prevailing upon two hostile neighbours to remove mistrust.
The Soviet Union maintained very warm & cordial relations with India and provided material and moral support for the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
China and Pakistan are good friends. So nothing much is expected from China favouring India for its all out support to Pakistan. India must contain China with its ‘Look East’ policy.
Once LoC is accepted as an international border in Kashmir,the terror mistrust would automatically get addressed with improvements in trade, commerce and people to people contacts. What India & Pakistan need is to fight terrorism, poverty, illiteracy, diseases, natural disasters and malnutrition together jointly and not fight with each other.
