Al-Risala (English), October 1988
Al-Risala (English), October 1988, p. 2
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
The Grand Compromise
1988 10 October 2 The Grand Compromise (371) In modern times, a policy of confrontation is so much of a luxury that not even the super powers can continue to indulge in it. This new awareness can teach both India and Pakistan a valuable lesson.
The greatest event of 1988 was President Reagan’s visit to Moscow. In the past, President Reagan called the U.S.S.R. an ‘evil empire.’ Now, he is developing friendly relations with this once spurned enemy.
Since the Marxist-inspired revolution of 1917, based on the concept of a class struggle, the U.S.S.R. has been spreading the doctrine of communalism – in much the same way as the USA has continued to sponsor the ideas of capitalism. This has engendered deep fear and suspicion between the two countries, which in turn has caused strong rivalry – a rivalry which has continued for over 60 years.
The results, however, have demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that this policy is of no utility to either of them. Only after spending billions and billions of dollars and roubles on war weapons have they realized that they cannot harm each other without harming themselves.
Now, new ideas are beginning to take shape in both countries. It is this new thinking which compelled Gorbachev to visit the US.A, and Reagan to visit Moscow. Time magazine (May 30, 1988) has called this new tendency in the two countries “a grand compromise.” An official of the U.S.S.R., pointing out how their respective policies had until recently been aimed at harming each other, explained that a ‘solution oriented’ policy has now been adopted.
There is great lesson to be learned from this development. It shows that in modern times, a policy of confrontation is so much of a luxury that not even the super powers can continue to indulge in it. This new awareness can teach both India and Pakistan a valuable lesson.
Unfortunately, both India and Pakistan are still bent on following the same policy of confrontation, albeit on a smaller scale, as that followed by the great powers. I think that both these countries need to learn this lesson; in the same way that the super powers have adopted a ‘solution-oriented policy, so also should we have a ‘grand compromise’ to end all confrontations.
