CATS & DOGS

Written by: Ashi Chaturvedi

Edited by: Yashi Shah

 INDO-PAK RELATIONSHIP

Have you heard about the dispute between two brothers over a piece of land? Of course, you have. Then you know that when two brothers fight, in the end, either they choose to unite or they choose to fight till it gets worse. So, India and Pakistan, the two brothers from one mother, have chosen the second way to settle the dispute over one piece of land, Kashmir. 

Kashmir is known to be the ‘Heaven on Earth’ and this is the reason why both countries are refusing to give up the land. Due to this, their relations have been ruined on every term. Either on political or on the economic front, they don't want to share a single ground. 

Trade between neighbouring countries is no new activity. To make these trade relations stronger, SAARC comes in the first place. India and Pakistan, both are the parts of SAARC to make South Asian markets work. But neither Pakistan is in the list of top 35 exporters of India, nor India comes in top 10 exporter's list of Pakistan,  even after sharing the longest boundaries with each other. If there is any import or export activity, then it is of commodities like cotton, cotton yarn, plastic, rubber, fruits, ores, dyes, etc. which doesn't contribute significantly in the economies of both countries. These brothers have now started to fight over bread and butter. But it's not cute.

India now wants to boycott Pakistan from every single stage, it finds itself sharing with.  And the reason for this boycott is Pakistan's direct and indirect provocations. Pakistan either impose wars like Kargil or do attacks like 26/11. Pakistan threatens India by showing its Nuclear Power. It shows Pakistan's obsession with Kashmir. India has taken its stand by tightening it's National Defence and  Securities on borders. India also enacted Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act waived Article 370, due to which, Jammu and Kashmir are now bound to have a taxation system as other states and territories in India and any citizen of another state can buy land in Jammu and Kashmir. This direct action of India stopped all the indirect interferences of Pakistan in the state. 

Kashmir cannot be ruled as Hong Kong, on ‘one nation, two jurisdictions’ principle. And both countries are parallel in terms of peaceful dialogue. Pakistani critics say “To have a dialogue with India, is the only solution but if we want a peaceful conversation then it's not a hint to India that we are thinking to give up.” And Indian critics say “We don't find any reason to discuss anything for what we already own, let Pakistan do or say what it can". Jack Weinberg said, “With friends like that, who needs enemies?” This saying defines Indo-Pak relations.