While Lahore did not turn out to be defining moment that it had at first promised to be, Islamabad must become one. Because opportunities like it, invested as it was with a great deal of diplomatic and political energy, do come but rarely. Consider the long, arduous climb out of the pit that the Kargil interregnum put Indo-Pak relations into, and the enormity of the stakes involved becomes clearer. Neither India nor Pakistan; neither South Asia — once characterised internationally as the most dangerous region in the world — or indeed the world, can afford another slide down that slippery slope. But to keep on that highway to peace and stability would need navigators with sureness of purpose and the stamina to achieve it, as well as a well-paved, all-weather road network. The reason for the breakthrough achieved at Islamabad has been attributed to the skillful spadework that preceded it. It follows then that the composite dialogue process that is to begin in February would require a continuation of that process of preparation with no slackening of pace whatsoever. Prime minister Vajpayee has already signalled the seriousness with which he is addressing that task. The first thing he did on returning to New Delhi was to convene a meeting of the cabinet committee on security to discuss the modalities of proceeding further. This melding of political will and administrative method may be more difficult to achieve as time goes by and the exigencies of a general election kick in. The NDA government should therefore put in place a blueprint for future movement on this score regardless of whether its leaders can pay close attention to it, regardless even of whether Vajpayee and his team comes back to power or not. What should help achieve this is the fair amount of national consensus on the desirability of a composite dialogue and lasting peace with Pakistan. While the Opposition has generally welcomed it, even the hardliners within the Sangh Parivar have desisted thus far from singing another tune. What is needed now is to decide at what level such a dialogue is to be conducted and how the most tricky aspect of all — that of Kashmir — is to be tackled. Some insights on how to proceed on this sensitive issue should come in once the home minister’s proposed dialogue with the Hurriyat gets going. Going by the soundbites emanating from Washington or Tokyo, Paris or London, the world has recognised this moment as a historic turning point and one that is important for international peace and stability. It would need sincere efforts on both sides of the border to ensure that the turning is for the better, not worse; that it is truly a win-win situation, not just for the ruling elites of the sub-continent, but the people.
