APRIL 15 Indo-Pak Detente

disaffected parties, and is the first step towards paving the way to better relations between them. Moreover, there are tremendous opportunities for commercial exchanges between the two countries. Could the de-linking process be set in motion, free trade would automatically ensue and international tourism would itself expand, resulting in extraordinary economic benefit to both countries. Similarly, in the fields of education, culture and politics, there exists great opportunities for interchange. The exchanging of cultural delegations would mean that young people could start visiting each other’s countries, and with educational activities becoming a means of interaction between the younger generations, innumerable benefits would accrue to both sides in the years to come. It should be conceded that clash and confrontation between neighbouring countries is destructive to both, and that the pursuit of reconciliation is the key to progress and prosperity. If India and Pakistan were to adopt this de-linking principle on a reciprocal basis, both would gain immensely in many spheres. Certainly no one would be the loser. It is a matter of common knowledge that confrontation between the two countries over political matters has become a way of life over the last half century. And now a heavy price is being paid for this, both countries having wasted almost half of their respective incomes in pursuing this policy year in and year out, without any observable gain to either side. In fact, the state of affairs is exactly as it was in 1947. Now if both these countries were to adopt the suggested formula, it would simply mean that the political state of affairs would remain unchanged, but that its remaining so would not be at the cost of ruined national economy. Political stalemate would no longer entail the wastage of precious material resources, once the impetus had been given—by de-linking—to a great upswing in commercial and cultural affairs. What the demands of reason are in such a situation are plain for all discerning persons to see.