The PM's wish list of having breakfast in Amritsar and lunch in Lahore is indeed an interesting dream. The thought of a hot aloo parantha with a blob of butter with thick lassi in the morning and delightful kababs for lunch can make anyone drool, gourmets, gourmands and cardiologists. Dr. Manmohan Singh could always wrangle an invitation from President Musharaf, for himself but this dream is likely to remain at best a dream for the rest of the country.
Relationship with Pakistan is based on a foundation of distrust. In both countries and more particularly in Pakistan a significant part of the establichment will have no role if they do not foment trouble for their neighbour. This is the case and will continue to be the case so long as the process is political.
Long term peace will only be possible with economic exchange. Only if producers and consumers in Pakistan and India see each others markets as compelling, for goods and services, would there be real peace. So may be the economist in our Prime Minister did get it right when he talked about breakfast in Amritsar and lunch in Lahore.
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