Pakistan's troubles

[PKBasu]

The Armenian genocide was committed by the Ottoman state, which ceased to exist at the end of the First World War. The modern state of Turkey would not have existed at all if the WWI allies had their way: they had prepared the way for Greece to occupy all of Turkey. Ataturk re-created a modern state, and that state cannot be held responsible for the Armenian genocide. Of course, the paranoid response of modern Turkey to all discussion of the Armenian genocide is itself ludicrous, and constitutes a significant abridgement of freedom of speech there.

[PKBasu]

Very interesting, and hopeful, editorial in The News, one of Pakistan's leading newspapers, advocating that Pakistan acknowledge its Indian heritage -- not just its Middle Eastern one -- and seek a substantive improvement in ties with India:

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=103413

[PKBasu]

For the first time since Partition, a descendant of the Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, has become Chief Minister of NWFP, the name of which is likely to be changed to Pakhtunkhwa (or something similar). Ameer Ahmad Khan Hoti, the 37-year-old Chief Minister, is the great-grandson of the Frontier Gandhi, and is the son of Khan Abdul Wali Khan's daughter. His paternal grandfather was also a stalwart of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement of his great-grandfather.

[Atithee]

PKB, thanks for posting this link.  Indeed, it would be great if both countries can defocus (both politically and, more importantly, financially) from the defacto anti stance.  As I always believed, unless Pakistan faced internal turmoil at the level India was facing, it would never be forced into action.  The last few years in Pakistan have been the worst for the general public in my recollection and it has pointed them to the right direction (I am hopeful of that).

[prasen9]

I am also concerned with the death of the Pakistani spy/cricket-lover in Indian custody.  Maybe it happened accidentally and India had no role in it.  However, a full inquiry should have happened.  Pakistan released a guy who came back to India and confessed to be a spy.  We should perhaps not let spies go scott-free but we should provide basic human rights to them.  Otherwise, it will be tough to win over the Pakistanis or even Kashmiris to make relations normal again.