NEW DELHI, 24 May 2005 — With India and Pakistan making right moves toward normalization of ties, all eyes are now on Bharatiya Janata Party chief L.K. Advani’s visit to Pakistan on May 30. The visit will evoke a reaction not only in India and Pakistan, but also within the party.
Advani’s visit is just one of the many moves by both India and Pakistan in their bid to normalize ties. And their attempts at rapprochement are being hailed all over the world.
The alacrity with which permanent enemies of yesterday, India and Pakistan, are moving toward peace has compelled even international relations committee in the US Congress to pass a resolution (May 20) praising the two for “monumental steps toward a comprehensive peace agreement.” The committee has also called upon them to continue down this path toward a harmonious future.
“We are on course,” toward improvement of our relations, according to Munawwar Saeed Bhatti, deputy high commissioner, Pakistan High Commission (New Delhi).
Taking note of the frequent exchange of Indo-Pak visits, at an unprecedented level, Bhatti told Arab News that this reflects the desire for improvement of ties at the “popular level.” And perhaps, the people’s desire has made it possible for India and Pakistan to move toward peace described as “sustainable” by Bhatti.
It was former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, along with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who took the initiative in moving the Indo-Pak “peace-process,” and the present UPA government is building on it. The hawk, Advani, who till now had espoused negative attitude toward normalizing ties with Pakistan, is now joining the path of reconciliation.
Advani has also been blamed for failure of the much-publicized Vajpayee-Musharraf Agra summit (2001). In addition, the FIRs issued against Advani by Pakistan also proved detrimental in getting Advani to see the other picture. The hard-line image projected of Advani and his ilk also added to the negativity surrounding the BJP leader.
But things are about to change, may be for the better. He will be visiting Pakistan (from May 30) as a guest of Pakistan government and this is a major diplomatic breakthrough.
He has been invited in his capacity as a leader of opposition in the Indian Parliament. Advani last visited Pakistan in 1978 as the information and broadcasting minister in the then government.
The personal importance of Advani’s weeklong visit is related to Pakistan being the land of his birth. Apart from visiting Islamabad, where he will meet Pakistani leaders, his itinerary includes a visit to Karachi, the place of his birth and his old school, St. Patrick’s.
