Noted Kashmir writer and leader, Dr Shabir Choudhry has in an article on the occasion of independence day of India and Pakistan said that apart from trade, Islamabad should try to import some democracy from New Delhi.
He said that importing democracy from India would be a very good confidence building measure and Pakistan should not restrict its trade to onions, potatoes and tomatoes only.
"I don't want anyone to think that I am against friendly relationship between India and Pakistan; or I don't want Pakistan to import onions and potatoes from India; far from it, I want more trade between them. In fact I dare to suggest that Pakistan should import some democracy from India as well, and that will be considered as very good Confidence Building Measure," said Shabir in his article.
He said that it was not important who held the reins of power in Islamabad, what mattered, was Islamabad's conviction to the Kashmir cause.
"As a Kashmiri it is not my concern who holds reins of power in Islamabad, and where they buy onions and potatoes from; and moreover if they want to mislead their own people over loans and any other matter, what concerns me is that rulers of Islamabad must not play with lives, aspirations and future of the Kashmiri people," he said.
He said that the international community had also seen the Kashmir issue as a case befitting conflict management rather than conflict resolution, adding that this was the tragedy of the Kashmiris and the Kashmir dispute.
"Whenever tension is high and conflict seems to be getting out of hand, certain measures are taken and conflict is brought under control; and then after some time, other issues are given priority and gradually the Kashmir dispute is placed on the back burner. Despite the peace process, dialogue and agreements, over the years India has not moved an inch from its official stand on Kashmir, and it is Pakistan which is losing ground by offering options every other day, often contradicting earlier statements," he added.
"This indicates weakness in Pakistan's case on Kashmir; and that there is no serious planning and co-ordination among different departments which deal with the Kashmir dispute. It gives the impression that Pakistan is not too much concerned about the interest and welfare of the Kashmiri people, but Kashmir's water and other resources and strategic importance is more valuable to Pakistan," he further said.
He called for more Kashmir specific CBMs to be introduced for giving an impetus to the peace process.
These, he said included, the opening
up of more routes for more people to people interaction, visits of 'elected
members' of both assemblies and leaders of Gilgit and Baltistan, cease-fire
in Kashmir, release of all political prisoners and lastly, the inclusion
of Kashmiris in the peace process.