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Visit of Indian Parliamentarians Report
The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs organized a two-day meeting of Indian and Pakistani parliamentarians in Islamabad on 26-26 May 2011. This was the first ever all-MPs Indian delegation to visit Pakistan to advance the process of peace-building in the region. The purpose of this meeting was to encourage representatives of the people of India and Pakistan to discuss and better understand the various outstanding issues between the two countries, and to find ways and means to resolve these conflicts. This visit was a direct outcome of suggestions made by participants in earlier Pugwash meetings between India and Pakistan.[1] The Indian delegation was led by Prof. Saifuddin Soz, former Federal Minister for Water Resources and current member of the Indian Parliament. Summary of key points and recommendations
There were four major sessions in the conference:
The Need for Increased Political Engagement
It was acknowledged that opportunity for interparliamentary discussion is rare, and such dialogue is needed to find ways to jointly address common problems. There are some hurdles to such cooperation which need attention. It was pointed out by some Pakistani MPs that they were not allowed to travel freely within India despite SAARC visas which are supposed to entitle them to travel without restrictions. Some Indian parliamentarians pointed out that they also face such restrictions. Some felt this issue could be taken up with the Indian government as a matter of priority. Some participants felt that MPs on both sides can facilitate forward momentum by consistently applying pressure on the respective government to make peace. MPs can call the various bureaucrats for in camera meetings and demand to know what is happening on various fronts and exert pressure on them to move forward. Creating a Counter Narrative to Conflict – The Role of the Media It was acknowledged by many that the peoples of the two countries have a great deal of interests in common, and that these shared interests can create the foundation for improved relations. Discussion focused on the role the traditional and new media can play in the resolution of outstanding issues, and also highlighted possible ways to create a more positive environment. Discussion addressed the fact that the general public of Pakistan is in favour of peace with India, even as a small sub-section of the people does not want peace. Some felt the street power of this small minority should not be seen as an indication of a complete lack of the possibility of peace and friendship between the two countries, and that the media has an integral role to play in this regard. Some felt that the Indian and Pakistani media need to exercise restraint, since the negative images that the media is creating about the other country has become one of the biggest hurdles in the way of bettering Indo-Pak relations. As a starting point, some participants felt that the Indian and Pakistani TV channels should be shown in each other’s countries. Some pointed out that Pakistan needs to be more transparent, open, and less defensive about the past. Others commented that while Pakistani state and the Pakistani people want to make peace with India, resolve their issues and move forward, it is also necessary to move forward with dignity and respect. From all sides there was agreement that the outstanding problems between the two countries should not be pushed under the carpet – the problems should be honorably resolved. Talking about perceptions of each other, it was noted that a lot of people in Pakistan think India is an existential threat. And yet it is important to note that no one has accused India of sponsoring the recent attack on the Karachi naval base. As part of the Islamabad schedule, Indian Parliamentarians had an opportunity to interact with representatives of media houses such as Greater Kashmir, The Hindu, BBC, The Nation, CNBC, Voice of America and The News. The Need for Increased People to People Contacts The tremendous benefits that can come through increased people-to-people contacts were highlighted throughout the two days of discussions, including with discussions with prominent human rights, civil rights, and NGO experts. Several suggestions surfaced which could yield immediate and positive results:
One of the major arguments made throughout the interaction was the need to understand the specific historical, cultural and social context within which terrorism develops. It was argued by many participants that there is no necessary linkage between terrorism and poverty and hence it was argued that it is a mindset and that it should be fought at the ideational level.
Improving Legal Aspects of Fighting Terrorism
The impact of the prior lack of coordination between the two countries was noted, and further increased cooperation was encouraged. For instance, the accused have been telling the Pakistani courts that they are facing double jeopardy (as they are accused both in the Indian and Pakistani courts) and the courts are likely to take a lenient view regarding the double jeopardy plea of the accused. The two countries have now started sharing more evidence and hence new evidence is coming forth, but again such evidence may not be admissible in a court of law given the time gap that has been created between the beginning of the trial and the admission of new evidence. Some felt that more could have been done if the two countries had cooperated more fully earlier. The no-talk policy in the decisive phase post 26/11 created misunderstanding between the two countries and valuable time was lost. Similarly, periodic briefings to the Indians on the 26/11 trials by the Pakistani lawyers could have been useful. An Indian parliamentarian pointed out that the political class needs to demonstrate ‘steely determination’ to confront terrorism. Some suggested Pakistan could demonstrate its seriousness by solving the problem of Dawood Ibrahim. A mutual legal assistance mechanism, whether or not under the SAARC framework, between the two countries might in future avoid some of these problems. Some pointed out, however, that the technicalities should not detract from the need for a political and moral framework that can stop terrorism. Legal technicalities should not prevent both sides from arriving at such a solution
The basic fact that surfaced throughout discussions is that there are far too many common threats between India and Pakistan and they need to fight them together and not individually. The ties that bind the two countries together are strong. Some Indian MPs who participated in this Pugwash event expressed their belief that there has been a qualitative shift in perceptions. Participants on all sides demonstrated their convictions that great progress is possible, with continued goodwill and further interactions. There was hope that this visit signaled new possibilities for ways forward and plans are underway for the next steps of the Pugwash Track 2 initiative.
Members of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation
Members of the Pakistani Parliamentary Delegation
[1] The meeting was held according to traditional Pugwash/Chatham House rules to enable an open exchange of perspectives and exploration of creative possibilities for ways forward. Thus, the substance of the discussions can be reported out, but no item discussed can be attributed to any one individual. There was no attempt to seek consensus, and in fact the sharing of diverse views was encouraged. The rapporteur for this report was Dr. Happymon Jacob, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The Pugwash Project on South Asia Dialogue is made possible through contributions by the US Department of State, the Ploughshares Fund, USIP, and others. Secretary General |
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Recognizing the need to continue to build on recent positive movement toward dialogue, some felt it is the politicians of India and Pakistan, not the bureaucrats, who will be able to create conditions for a solution to the India-Pakistan conflicts (including, possibly, issues related to Kashmir).
Participants discussed ways to further build bridges between groups of students, athletes, cultural artists, farmers, literary personalities and peoples from other walks of life, as a way to increase understand each other’s view points on various subjects and to strengthen common ties. 
Targeted discussion focused on the various terrorism-related cases that are under trial in many Pakistani courts and in particular the prosecution of the Mumbai terror suspects. While some from the Indian side expressed concern over the time delay of the prosecution and punishment of those accused in the Mumbai attack, some felt this perceived delay should not be seen as a stand-alone case but as a problem of the Pakistani justice system as a whole and it was noted that there has been some improvement in the trials relating to the Mumbai attacks. Pakistan has arrested those accused in the case by India and they have been formally indicted by the Pakistani government. However, some on the Pakistani side are concerned that India is providing some evidence that is inadmissible in a court of law.
Moving Forward