By Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal
In the teachings of Islam, the bonds of human society are held in the highest regard, alongside the duties of worship. The rights of neighbours, in particular, are emphasised time and again in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is related that the Archangel Jibreel (AS) counselled the Prophet so persistently concerning the obligations owed to neighbours that the Messenger of Allah came to believe he might soon be instructed to make them partners in inheritance. Such is the profound importance attached to neighbourly conduct.
At the level of individuals, a person who finds himself at odds with his neighbour may, if he chooses, change his dwelling and settle elsewhere. Nations, however, enjoy no such liberty. Geography has bound them together, for better or for worse, and no amount of wishing can alter the map. This truth was brought home to me with particular force during an international conference held in Malaysia in 2008. Representatives from some 30 countries had gathered, including delegations from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. At the opening ceremony, as participants exchanged greetings, a certain coolness was evident between the Pakistani and Indian delegates. Yet, through repeated interaction, the natural spirit of neighbourliness began to emerge.
During the proceedings, a participant from Singapore approached me directly with a question that seemed to carry the weight of the entire gathering. “Why,” he asked, “has Pakistan not been able to develop as much as it should, given its vast potential in skills, resources and human talent?” The query, posed in that international forum, visibly astonished many, particularly the Indian participants. By the grace of Allah, I found myself able to reply with composure. I told the questioner that his inquiry was of genuine importance. “Consider,” I said, “your own neighbours, Malaysia and Indonesia. Now imagine if, instead, you had a neighbour like India. How would your development fare then? We in Pakistan are compelled to devote enormous sums to defence because of persistent hostility from that quarter. Were those resources freed for constructive purposes, we should doubtless have advanced far beyond our present state.”
My response appeared to satisfy many while displeasing others, as is often the case when plain truths are spoken. Yet the underlying reality remains beyond dispute: neighbours cannot be changed. Pakistan has, on numerous occasions, extended the hand of friendship towards India, only to be met with little or no positive response.
It is therefore heartening to note that, in recent days, more than a hundred prominent personalities from both India and Pakistan have jointly appealed, through an open letter, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to media reports. They urge the two leaders to take concrete and lasting steps towards restoring peace, dialogue and normal bilateral relations. The letter rightly observes that the long-standing tension between the two countries is depriving millions of young people of opportunity, prosperity and a secure future. Among the practical measures proposed are the restoration of full diplomatic relations, the reappointment of high commissioners, the resumption of visa services, the reopening of airspace for commercial flights, and the reopening of the Attari-Wagah border for trade and movement. The signatories also call for the revival of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and other cross-border links.
India and Pakistan together are home to nearly one-fifth of humanity, the greater part of it young. The appeal wisely recommends the reactivation of confidence-building measures, including the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, access to religious sites such as Sharda Peeth, and comprehensive bilateral talks on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. It further suggests a review of the framework agreed between 2004 and 2007, a reduction in military tensions, and the addressing of legitimate security concerns on both sides. The letter concludes by inviting both governments to choose connectivity over isolation, dialogue over hostility, and cooperation over confrontation for the sake of the welfare and aspirations of nearly two billion people.
Good relations between neighbours are indeed desirable, yet they cannot flourish on words alone. A knife in the side and a greeting on the lips will never mend what is broken. For any lasting improvement, India must abandon its policy of proxy warfare, its interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, its support for terrorists and separatists, and its attempts to use water as a weapon. A just and honourable resolution of the Kashmir dispute remains essential. Pakistan has shown, through its efforts to bring even distant powers such as the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, that it possesses both the will and the capacity for diplomacy. Surely, then, the path to reconciliation with its closest neighbour is not beyond reach.
Ultimately, India must alter its attitude in a fundamental way. Trade agreements and occasional air corridors may offer temporary relief, but they cannot substitute for genuine goodwill. Only by confronting the core issues with honesty and courage can the two nations move forward. The future of South Asia need not be defined by division and conflict. With wisdom and sincerity on both sides, it may yet be shaped by peace, shared prosperity and the common hopes of their peoples.
(The writer is a parliamentary expert with decades of experience in legislative research and media affairs, leading policy support initiatives for lawmakers on complex national and international issues, and can be reached at editorial@metro-Morning.com)
