The last round of peace talks between India and Pakistan collapsed in November 2008, in the wake of the massive Mumbai terror siege. Since then the relationship between the two sides has soured considerably, but now seems to be warming up again.
That is because officials now say that the peace talks will officially resume with a meeting on Thursday, the start of two days of talks in Islamabad. The talks will be followed by more talks in India next month.
The talks are not expected to address any major issues, at least to start with, but the fact that they are taking place at all suggests that, after two and a half years of virtually no meaningful contact, the two sides might finally be patching up some of their differences.
Pakistan’s government said the two sides would arrange “friendly exchanges” but would also discuss issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and the security situation along their common border.
I didn't even know that Pakistan and India were at war. Hostilities, yes. Animosity, yes. Long-time enemies, yes. But war?
I pray that both countries come to their senses and realize that continually antagonizing one another over border disputes is simply not in the best interest of either nation. India and Pakistan are great nations populated by ancient and intricate cultures, and surely their shared history is a strong enough tie to bind them together at the peace table.
All one need do is look at the world's political map and see which way the wind blows- more than ever, Pakistan and India need each other as allies and certainly not as enemies.