Relationship Of Pakistan And India

Relations with India Ever since the creation of Pakistan, the relations between Pakistan and India have always been tense. In the early days of Pakistan’s independence, India blocked the canal water, created hurdles in the division of assets, and persecuted the Muslim minority. On 8th April 1950, an agreement was signed between the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaqat Ali Khan, and the Indian Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru. According to this agreement, both countries agreed upon protecting the rights of minorities in their respective countries. Kashmir has always been a sensitive issue for Pakistan. All the governments of Pakistan have been trying to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully, but due to the stubborn attitude of India, this issue is still lingering. According to the resolutions of the UN Security Council, this issue should be resolved by giving the right of self-determination to Kashmiris. But India has been depriving Kashmiris of this right because she knows that if the plebiscite is held, the Muslim majority of Kashmir would decide to join Pakistan. She, therefore, ignores the United Nations (UN) Resolutions. There was also a dispute over the distribution of river water between Pakistan and India. In 1960, due to President Ayub Khan’s compromising policy, the Indus Basin Treaty was signed. It gave India the right to have the waters of the Ravi, Sutlaj, and Beas rivers, while Pakistan got the right to have the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers. Ever since the treaty got signed, India has been violating it by constructing dams on Pakistani rivers. In 1948, India occupied a large area of Kashmir by military invasion. In 1965, she trusted a war on Pakistan. In 1971, it was once again the Indian aggression that caused to cut-off of East Pakistan from West Pakistan and created Bangladesh.

In 1974, India conducted nuclear test explosions and started interfering in the internal affairs of the neighboring countries. Since 1984, she has been trying to get control over Siachin Glacier. In 1990, during Mian Nawaz Sharif’s Government, relations between Pakistan and India started For example, the Friendship Bus Service was started and bilateral trade relations were established, but these could not last long. In May 1998, India once again conducted nuclear tests, which was a direct threat to Pakistan’s integrity. In response to this aggressive posture, Pakistan also conducted six nuclear tests, which balanced the military power in the region and thus India’s hegemonic designs were foiled.

In 2001, President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Wajpai met in Agra, India. An agreement over the basic issues between the two countries was about to reach but Wajpai’s ministers and advisors created hurdles in signing this agreement. As a result, the President of Pakistan had to return in despair. Although, through the efforts of SAARC countries the ministers and officers of Pakistan and India meet together time and again, however, the Indian attitude shows that she does not believe in peaceful co-existence with Pakistan.