PAKISTAN INDIA RELATIONS POST

REVOCATION OF ARTICLE 370 AND 35A

Challenges:

1. Cross-border terrorism;
 In 2019 Pulwama attack occurred on 14 February 2019, when a convoy of vehicles carrying
Indian security personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-
borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district of the erstwhile state of Jammu
and Kashmir. The attack killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
 India blamed neighbouring Pakistan for the attack, while the latter condemned the attack and
denied having any connections to it.  The attack dealt a severe blow to India–Pakistan
relations, consequently resulting in the 2019 India–Pakistan military standoff.
2. False flag operations;
“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed”- Fuhrer Adolf Hitler
 The lineage of this term is drawn from maritime affairs where ships raise a false flag to disguise
themselves and hide their original identity and intent. In this milieu, the concept of the false flag
emanates from the domain of conspiracy theory wherein an operation is conducted by one
party or government and made to appear as though it was sponsored by another party or
government.
 On 20 Mar 2000, (Day of Bloodshed) mass killing of around thirty-five Sikhs took place in
Anantnag, district of IOK. Initially Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan were accused of this
bloodshed. However, Indian court noted that the entire massacre was staged to malign
Pakistan. In 2017, Lt Gen (Retd) KS Gill, who was part of a CBI investigation team, confirmed that
Indian army was involved in massacre. This massacre occurred during the visit of President
Clinton to India and Pakistan. The purpose was to generate more U.S. pressure on Pakistan and
to discredit Pakistan globally.
3. Kashmir issues; Article 370 and 35A- a bone of contention
Revocation of Article 370 and 35A has changed the dynamics of Kashmir Issue. India is
trying to change the demography of Illegally Indian Occupied Kashmir (IIOK). This has
become a big concern of Pakistan. It seems like revival of Pakistan and India relations is
impossible till MODHI government give special status again to Kashmir.

4. Water issues: India developing dams on Pakistan’s river

 India lacks sufficient energy resources to grow at the pace the country
desires. Electrical capacity must grow 10 percent annually to keep up with
demand, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank. Nearly 40
percent of Indian homes, some 400 million people, do not have reliable
electricity. India has already fallen behind on its Power-for-All Plan.
  Therefore, it is making dam and hydro-electric projects on Pakistan rivers
such as Pak-dul and Lower Kalani. This is also the violation of Indus water
treaty, intensifying Pak-India relations
5. Poor people to people connection- ban on Indian movies, literature, and
websites in Pakistan and same in India
 Since February 2019, Pakistan has banned the screening of all Indian films in
retaliation to the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian
government pertaining to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, same is the
case in India as well.
 However, these movies and literature were the bonding force between the people of
Indian and Pakistan. Therefore, poor people to people connection is also a worse
reason in INDIA-PAKISTAN DETERIORATING REALTION.

6. Suspension of Trade;
 After Pulwama attack, India hiked custom duty on exports from Pakistan to 20%
 In 2018, Pakistan ended its diplomatic relations with India after New Delhi
stripped the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status
 Trade makes countries economically dependent on each other, whereas, this is
lacking in Pakistan and India relations, making easy for them to cut off diplomatic
relations

Hopes of Improvement in Relations:

1. National Security Policy of Pakistan emphasized peaceful relations with India;

“Pakistan, under its policy of peace at home and abroad, wishes to improve its relationship with
India. A just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains at the core of
our bilateral relationship”- Chapter 7 of NSP
2. Religious exchange
Pakistan has many religious sites for the people of India. Kartarpur cooridor, Islamabad mandir,
Taxila, katas temple and the few examples of them. Since the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor
on November 9, 2019, the Kartarpur corridor has been used by more than 1,10,670 Indians and
OCI card holders to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur," Minister of State for External
Affairs of India
3. Pakistan’s quest for economic relations; India a huge market
Prior to August 2019, when Pakistan formally suspended trade ties with India after India
revoked Jammu & Kashmir’s special status, formal trade between the two countries was
estimated at USD $2 billion
Pakistan’s exports to India include vegetable products, textiles, dry dates, rock salt,
cement, leather, surgical instruments, carpets, and gypsum. While India’s exports to
Pakistan consist of cotton, organic chemicals, dyes and pigments, machinery,
pharmaceutical items, teas and spices, iron and steel and plastic goods.
 India-Pakistan trade has the potential to increase from USD $2 billion to USD $37 billion if both
countries were willing to take steps towards removing tariff and non-tariff barriers- SOUTH
ASIAN VOICES
4. Pakistan: a way to connect India with Afghanistan and energy
rich CARS countries
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) in a statement said India and Afghanistan had
a bilateral trade of about "Rs 10,000 crore" in 2020-2021

There is also an agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan which is known as

Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA). It is a successor to the
Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) signed in 1965 between Pakistan and
Afghanistan to facilitate the transit of goods exported from and imported to Afghanistan
using the Pakistani port of Karachi. The current agreement permits the use of more ports
and more carriers - including Afghan trucks - and increases the number of border
crossing points. It also provides for Afghan exports to India using the land border
between Pakistan and India. However, India cannot export its product to Afghanistan
with this route; good relations can enable India to do that too.

India is also trying to enhance its trade relations with CARS countries. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s visit, in July 2015, to all five Central Asian countries—
marking the first time an Indian PM has gone to all five countries in a single
visit since their independence in the early 1990s—was a turning point in
reinvigorating the socio-politico-economic tie between the two sides.

Thus, Pakistan can provide India access to Afghanistan and CARS

5. Cultural ties strong- same history

 It is important to reiterate that despite the political rhetoric, the two nations
share much in common. This commonality emerges in a shared history that
culminated in an independence movement, which in turn, brought the two
countries freedom in 1947.
 Indians and Pakistanis, today, share cultural values, cuisine, language, dress,
names, music, and much, much more.
 Peace can be achieved if these commonalities are used positively

6. Sports of both countries are similar- a way towards cooperation

 Sport creates conversations by providing a common ground, and a unified sense
of purpose.
 Sport unites nations and creates peace between countries since each country
wants to invite the other countries to the world cup. This creates friendships
 between nations. Countries try to be friendly to other countries to create a better
and more enjoyable sporting events.
 Thus, Cricket and Hockey can play a role to bring nations close to each other if
they are not politicized
7. SAARC- a platform for both to cooperate in socio-economic issues
 In the past 26 years, owing to joint efforts of member countries, SAARC has
made some progress, and a commendable achievement in reducing widespread
poverty, strengthening energy cooperation, food security, promoting trade,
improving social welfare, and providing educational opportunities
 Thus, Pakistan and India can use this platform to cooperate in above mentioned
areas

8. India China Pakistan Economic Corridor (ICEPEC)

 India can also join CPEC and be a part of it as it would enable India to get access to
Afghanistan CARS and Russia through a shortest way.
 India does not join because CPEC passes through Gilgit Baltistan area which India claims
to be its territory. If India joins CPEC, this would be considered that India has accepted
formally that GB is a part of Pakistan.
 However, it is a time that India must realize that it dreams of getting Kashmir back from
Pakistan is impossible especially after Nuclear Technology access to both countries.
 Moreover, China should play its role and add India in CPEC

9. Resolving disputes on other territories first and then move to Kashmir;

 It is essential that both countries should resolve their territorial dispute on small
territories first such as Sir creek, Siachen, and Kargil. After that, they should move to
resolve Kashmir dispute. Without resolving small territorial issues, Kashmir issue would
be a difficult task