Not foolish

Sir, - This is with reference to your Editorial ``Foolish stridency'' (April 17) in which you have advocated a softer attitude towards Pakistan and criticised the hard stance taken by our Government, through its campaigns in Cartagena and Havana, isolating Pakistan from these groupings. Your penchant for Gandhian approach is so deep that you thought it fit to term the Government's approach as ``foolish''.

Ever since the Partition, India has been following the most conciliatory approach. In spite of victories in the three wars, India did not force a solution to the Kashmir issue, as is the normal practice on the part of victors, but agreed for bilateral talks. The areas conquered were returned along with the 90,000 PoWs. But Pakistan reciprocated these noble gestures with cross- border terrorism. Worse still was its treacherous act of stabbing in the back through the Kargil incursions even as it was signing a declaration feigning peace at Lahore. There does not appear to be any trace of reckonable moderate elements in Pakistan whom you want to encourage. The cross-border terrorism is clearly a state- sponsored one and there is no question of Gen. Musharraf trying to rein in the militant elements.

N. R. Sathyamurthy,

Cuddalore (TN)

Sir, - The Editorial is thought-provoking in the context of New Delhi's campaign at the NAM and the G-77 gatherings which happened to be Pakistan-specific whereas India, as a major player, ought to have focussed the attention of the developing nations towards forming a united front against the inroads being made by the rich nations at the cost of their socio-economic status. In fact, the approach lacked sufficient vision, because it is not a solution to the chronic bilateral issues at hand. When the fact remains that the politically conscious members of the G-17 did not subscribe to India's views, it is worth remembering that the strategy of total isolation of Pakistan will remain a question mark because of its strong bonds with the OIC and China as well.

Moreover, the stiffening of terms for bilateral discussions and the nature of warnings from New Delhi do not augur well and will embolden the fundamentalists to maintain their own say. Ultimately the laudable concepts enshrined in the Lahore Declaration will lose their credence.

The need of the hour is to summon the qualities of a real statesman in appreciation of the fact that the Kargil intrusions happened to be as much an action of the democratic Government of Pakistan under the former Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, as that of General Musharraf. In the light of the above, instead of fine-tuning the nature of the governing set-up in Pakistan, the approach should be oriented by keeping in view the undeniable fact that India will be dealing with a sovereign state because what matters is the upholding of the good wishes of the right thinking people from both the nations in order to usher in an era of peace and prosperity.

Syed Gowher Ali,

Chennai

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