Pakistan-India Trade:

Amin Hashwani
In 2004, Musharraf made a proposal on Kashmir that sparked controversy
in both the Indian and Pakistani media. He suggested that Pakistan
not demand a plebiscite on the status of Kashmir, and that India not demand
making the Line of Control an international border. Instead, he suggested
that Kashmir be broken down into seven regions, and demilitarized
through a phased process. Thereafter, Kashmiris would decide their own
fate. The Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman criticized Musharraf for
not having first discussed his proposal through diplomatic channels. The
Indian media highlighted the reaction of prominent statesman Jaswant
Singh, who condemned the proposal as “map-making...in disguise” that
needed to cease. The Pakistani media accused Musharraf of selling out
on Kashmir. Several days later, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry clarified that
Musharraf’s proposal was merely meant to generate debate on the issue. 1
The seCuriTY PrediCaMenT: PaKisTan’s arMY as a
douBle-edGed sWord
As compared to India, the role of the Pakistan army, which has ruled the
country for almost half its history, has historically been more prominent.
Although Pakistan has now transitioned into a political democracy, the
army still has a strong influence—especially in the areas of defense and
foreign policy. The fact that Pakistan, since its inception, has been in a
constant state of instability—internally and externally—has not helped
matters. Three wars with India, the partition of Bangladesh, support for
U.S. interests in the region during the Cold War, a status of front-line
state after the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan (and the consequent
hosting of over 3 million refugees for over three decades), a key
partner in the “war on terror” after 9/11 and the civil wars with the
Tehrik-e-Taliban that resulted, the Baluchistan Liberation Movement—
all of this has extracted a heavy social, political, and economic price
from the Pakistani people. And it has kept Pakistan in a perpetual state
of flux, thereby preventing the evolution and development of any state
institutions apart from the military itself.
Among other unresolved issues with India, the Kashmir dispute
stirs strong feelings. In Pakistan, it is viewed as a people’s issue rather
than simply a land dispute. From the very beginning, this dispute has
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