Getting Ready for ‘Bus Diplomacy’

Re: Beena Sarwar

Your sense of hope was really admirable, but I have to tell you; wait and see. It is too early to get excited about nothing. A couple of politicans sharing a bus ride and then discussing mutual interests over a lavish luncheon, is not going to change the misery of a billion people over night!

How is Nawaz Sharif going to sell this idea to the Islamic zealots or to the pro-Kashmiri lobby? How will his Indian opposite deal with his extermists? Both these gentlemen are playing poker and neither one of them is prepared to have his bluff called! I am not interested in how and what they talk, but I am only interested in seeing results emerge from their discussions and not more empty communiques stating a creation of another working group to study the feasibility of bi-lateral discussions!

What ever these two gentlemen agree to is crucial, but in reality it will be the acceptence of this idea, by all the political groups on both sides of the Radcliff line, which will usher in the dawn of peace upon a sub-continent cloaked within a craven night of dispair. Celebrating mustard poppies and flying kites does not mean anything even in the company of Indians.

As far as this situation goes, I have a perspective of a trench soldier: I have heard too many promises; seen too many preparations; I have hoped too often; I have seen too much time wasted and I have seen nothing change for the better.

Pardon a cynic Ms. Sarwar, this is just another tempest in a tea cup and soon after it is over, life will still plod on and all the grand gestures of this memorable event will be forgotten. This is not the first time and it is not the last time when promises are being made which never be fulfilled.

Ferozk Cynicus Maltemperate!

Beena:

Vajpayee-- all backbone no muscle, and Sharif all muscle & no backbone meeting in Lahore.

Predictable outcome. (yawn---over to you Dr. Feroze).

If the bus service works out then it will be really convenient for a number of people to visit India who have always wanted to go there.