It is important to humanise the ‘other’ and move away from the stereotypical ‘enemy’ perception that have dominated Indo-Pak relations.
Constructivists like Ted Hopf explain that states view and understand each other on the basis of inter-subjectively formulated perceptions and identities. In the India-Pakistan context these perceptions and identities have been shaped by 4 wars — 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999. The disputed territory of Kashmir has been integral to three of these wars. Further, the communal violence and ethnic cleansing that accompanied Partition and the disputes during and after Partition over division of resources and sharing of water have also contributed to the development of perceptions and identities of ‘enemy’ and ‘other’ in the social fabric of the two countries. The turbulent and volatile nature of relations since 1947 have largely been driven by these hostile and negative perceptions of each other.
In his victory speech, post the Pakistan general elections in 2018, Imran Khan emphasised on the need to rebuild Indo-Pak relations. But for any progress to be made on this front, it is imperative to first change these deeply rooted perceptions and identities. Central to this change or rebuilding is enhancing people-to-people interactions between the citizens of India and Pakistan. People to people interactions have the power to create a new narrative in the relations of the two countries and can herald a new era by overcoming the negative and vitriolic rhetoric plaguing ties.
A crucial medium for people-to-people interaction between the two counties has been the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD). The PIPFPD was formed with a view to reduce hostility by increasing interactions between citizens of the two countries. The PIPFPD was successfully able to stimulate dialogue and hold conventions in both countries during times when communication between the governments was virtually non-existent. Their 1995 Lahore convention was a landmark moment as it came at a point when there had been no dialogue between the two governments for nearly two and half years. Through their work, the PIPFPD was able to make a dent, howsoever small it may have been, to counter the ‘enemy’ narrative that dominates discourse. By increasing mutual understanding, creating a sense of harmony and empathy and finding common ground between the citizens of the two countries, the PIPFPD enabled a thawing of the deeply embedded negative perceptions that underline relations between India and Pakistan.
People-to-people interactions were galvanised in the aftermath of the 1998 nuclear tests, as a plethora of citizen disarmament groups arose in both countries. These groups vociferously campaigned against the nuclearisation of the sub-continent. Amongst these were two prominent organisations, the Centre for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) from India and the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) from Pakistan. They worked in coordination and became an essential aspect of the citizen peace diplomacy initiative. They organised various seminars, discussions, and processions and published literature opposing the nuclearisation of the subcontinent. Their work however, achieved limited success due to their government’s reluctance, even opposition, to accepting and ratifying their recommendations and proposals. Nevertheless, they played a critical role in uniting the people of the two nations for a common cause. Nuclear disarmament campaigns resulted in them fighting together, instead of fighting against each other, which in some capacity led to the altering of the prevailing perceptions and identities of ‘otherness’ and ‘enemy’ that plague the discourse in both countries.
Women activists have also played a pivotal role in enhancing people-to-people interactions between both countries. They have campaigned against violence and consistently initiated dialogue. Their initiatives have provided a platform for communication between the two countries during troubled phases of bilateral relations. A significant initiative was the ‘Peace Bus’ organised by the Woman’s Initiative for Peace in South Asia (WIPSA). It involved Indian activists to travel from New Delhi to Lahore in March 2000 and subsequently Pakistani activists to travel from Lahore to New Delhi in May 2000. Through the ‘Peace Bus’, activists were able to challenge the adversarial identities and perceptions of ‘enemy’ and ‘other’ that dominate ties by providing a rare opportunity for free dialogue, relationship building and deliberation on problems that plague bilateral relations. They also aimed to create a space whereby they could reinitiate dialogue between the states and involve themselves in it. All of this happened just after the Kargil conflict, when India-Pakistan relations were at their poorest and animosity at its highest.
Another facilitator of people-to-people interactions was the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) which was formulated to promote interactions amongst journalists in South Asia, especially between journalists from India and Pakistan. SAFMA focussed on trying to establish dialogue between India and Pakistan, it prioritised peace-making between India and Pakistan. Their continuous efforts towards stimulating the peace process between the two countries resulted in the ‘Pakistan-India Parliamentarians, Journalists and Experts Conference in Islamabad in August 2003.’ Despite the difficulties SAFMA endured during the time, they were able to create a space for dialogue through this initiative, bringing positivity between the two countries. SAFMA also stimulated people-to-people interactions between citizens via their Mumbai-Karachi-Mumbai exchange, the Punjab-Punjab exchange and their historical initiative to bring Indian and Pakistani journalists together in Kashmir. During the Musharraf era people- to-people interactions were further boosted by a whole section of civil society including doctors, lawyers and judges criss-crossing the great divide and engaging with one another. These interactions were able to change the mindset of those involved about the ‘other’ and thus provide scope for a new narrative to dominate relations.
The most critical demography that can bring about change in the India-Pakistan dynamic is the youth, because it is they who will shape the future of relations. Thus, they need to be at the centre of all plans or schemes for promoting people-to-people interactions. These interactions can alter or reconstruct the baggage of fear, hate and mistrust that has been carried by previous generations who have witnessed Partition, the wars and continuous turbulence. The greater the focus on enhancing interactions between the youth of both countries, the higher the chance of changing the preconceived perceptions and identities that are ingrained in society today.
The significance of these initiatives lie in their ability to formulate a space for peace and dialogue. They can create conditions of equality and fairness within societies, which can eventually improve relations between the two countries. People-to-people interactions have the ability to change the misguided or skewed interpretations of history on both sides and formulate a more nuanced understanding about one another, eventually aiding in changing the mutual preconceived negative perceptions and identities amongst the citizens of India and Pakistan. To a certain extent these initiatives have been successful in being able to humanise the ‘other’ and move away from the stereotypical ‘enemy’ perception that have dominated Indo-Pak relations. This at least can be said for those citizens who have directly or indirectly been influenced by the different citizen interaction initiatives in both countries.
It is imperative we give a chance to this alternative route of rebuilding ties, as all other policy initiatives, governmental programmes and processes over the years have not been able to change the negative rhetoric that has dominated discourse between the two countries. People to people interactions puts the onus on citizens to rebuild relations. It empowers them to move beyond the state and take initiatives on their own. Changes in the perceptions and identities of citizens can in the long run alter the mindsets of the two governments and rebuild relations. Although, these interactions, which held so much promise, lost momentum since certain state and non-state actors refused to change their outlook, it is imperative we try to rebuild this movement and not let failures of the past prevent us. The changes in perceptions and identities inculcated through these interactions should motivate both sides to pursue this track. People-to-people interactions is a medium that needs to be explored before the situation reaches a point where even dialogue between citizens across the border becomes impossible.
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