Relations between India and Pakistan have been complex and largely hostile due to historic and political events. Relations between the two states have been defined by the violent partition of British India in 1947, the Kashmir conflicts and the numerous military conflicts between the two nations. Despite many positive initiations taken, the India-Pakistan relationship in recent times has hit a rock bottom with some sore issues sticking out.
The bilateral relations between India and Pakistan stooped to a new low after the two sides traded charges of harassing diplomats against each other. Islamabad complained that its diplomats were being subjected to different kinds of harassment in India. New Delhi, on the other hand alleged that several Indians mission staffers in Islamabad have been severely "harassed and intimidated".
This diplomatic fix is said to have started after India lashed out at Pakistan at the 37th session of UN Human Rights Council, where it accused Pakistan of protecting terrorists. Pakistan lodged four harassment charges with the Ministry of External Affairs alleging incidents of harassment and intimidation of its diplomats in New Delhi. Pakistan High Commission alleged that their diplomats are being followed in New Delhi. India reciprocated with a counter charge saying that the Indian residential complex in Islamabad, which is recently under construction was allegedly raided by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence. They further alleged that the diplomat's stationed in Islamabad have been receiving obscene phone calls and message. The relations have stooped to such lows that the two nations- India and Pakistan, have even threatened to pull out their diplomats from Delhi and Islamabad, respectively.
India stated that it has repeatedly requested Pakistan to mutually ensure an atmosphere free of fear. Of course, there is the engulfing deficit of trust between the two countries that needs to be bridged. This needs to be done both at the government and people level. Numerous well- meaning effort in the past have faltered and many will continue to do so in the future unless both sides show an unwavering commitment to stay the course and create a propitious and enabling environment to surmount the innumerable obstacles that are littered on the path to peace. It is in the best of interest of both the countries that they resolve all the issues amicably so that the future generations do not remain hostage to a poison-ridden legacy of political misunderstandings and geopolitical antagonisms.
- DIVYA RAWAT