Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'To tweet or not to tweet' that was published in Newsband

To tweet or not to tweet

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted about having received message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extending greetings & best wishes to the people of Pakistan on the National Day of Pakistan. Khan’s tweet came on a day when the Government of India boycotted Pakistan’s National Day event in Delhi and the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad also announced that he would not be attending the same event in Islamabad.

Political analysts and journalists in Pakistan said Modi’s message was a welcome gesture. Some Indians ask, “Why send unsolicited greetings on the one hand, and on the other, boycott Pakistan National Day celebrations? One step forward, two steps backward!” Listening to Modi's chest thumping election speech in Rajasthan, post Balakot, it appeared a war was imminent. If Modi has realized that the only way forward is through conciliation, it is good.

But really speaking, Modi's approach is great. No wonder entire world respects him. He doesn't hate anyone. He tries to convey and convert. If possible he succeeds. But no compromise. He keeps India first.

Modi's tweet was an effort to portray him as a balanced person which may be correct. Still the effort is welcome and will pave a way for mutual understanding and removal of conflicts between the two brother nations.

Apart from basic diplomatic courtesies there is no scope for business as usual by India with its neighbour. India’s neighbour has to take decisive steps against terrorism to restore even semblance of normalcy. India from 2014 has started decisive actions against terrorism with an unambiguous policy. This policy has zero tolerance for terrorism and principle of no talks without actions against terrorism by neighbour. Success is inevitable given the resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

No rethoric can yield results. Cross border terrorism should stop. Pakistan should eliminate all the terror outfits and their training camps. Then only talks can start and a solution for Kashmir based on existing dividing line should be worked out.

The only way out to improve upon our extremely soured bilateral relations could be the complete shedding of the extant anti- India terrorism by Pakistan. All other false overtures could be self defeating and lead us no where.

Even after suffering so many conflicts and damage done to Mother lndia and her children by Pakistan and its terror children & wicked China, whose products are more liked and used in India than its own products, it has become customory for political leaders starting from old Congress and other parties at Centre to compliment those nations and hug their army men and leaders and cricketers and some visit those countries unofficially.

Anyway, it was a courtesy message by a statesman like Modi.  Surely India has nothing against Pak citizens. They are like brothers with same DNA and ancestors.  It is the Army and Government in Pak that is problematic.

But will Pakistan dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and stop the bloodshed? Also don't neglect the aspirations and rights of the people of Balochistan.