Is there hope that finally India and Pakistan will learn to live with each other and agree to disagree on the status of Kashmir. Atleast there is a very slim one based on what Zardari has suggested The Kashmir issue is a matter of the state of mind in our two countries . Pakistan beleives that as Muslim majority area it should have rightly belonged to Pakistan. The India belief is that India is secular and pluralistic and hence there is no logic in the communal calculations of Pakistan . In 1947 Pakistan stance was maybe right but in 2008 it is meaningless when I boasts of 150 million Muslim citizens . The solution lies in bypassing that issue for on the short term , letting emotions settle down and possibly as Zardari has suggested leting another generation on both sides of the LOC try and settle it. But lest we are tempted to uncork the champagne to quickly let us remind ourselves that in matters of important policy very often the establishment over rules the politician. Can Zardari's new government manage the establishment which in that country includes the Army - which has a vested interest in keeping the conflict going ? The only way that could happen is if the people of Pakistan back this intiative. Still nothing is lost by hoping !
