Nawaz Sharif had made clear that Pakistan’s top priority was seeking international support to compel India to negotiate over the future of Kashmir. Much talked about meeting between PM Nawaz Sharif and the U.S President Barack Obama gives at least an indication of what the United States expected from Pakistan. The United States has refused to play any role brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan is asked to take action against all terrorists and extremist groups without discrimination. Both leaders expressed their commitment to advance Afghan-owned and led peace and reconciliation process between the Afghan government and Afghan Taliban, and called upon Taliban leaders to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work towards a sustainable peace settlement.

Clearly visible was the US inclination and bias in favour of India. More the United States favours are expressed for India the more it demonstrates aggressiveness against Pakistan. This Indian attitude toward Pakistan, encouraged by the U.S Policy, goes against efforts for regional peace and the interests of the poor people of both countries. Nawaz Sharif has stated that Afghanistan and India are external challenges for Pakistan. Delhi’s belligerent actions and arms build up pose threat to Pakistan. There may be a contradiction in bringing Afghan Taliban to the table and killing them at the same time. But it does not matter to the United States as NATO forces have been acting on strategy to ‘fight and talk’. The mistrust that exists between Pakistan and the United States is also reflected in Indian response to Pakistan. As they say, a man is the substance of things he loves. Where hate is sowed you can’t expect to reap love. The logic is that the United States should play its important role encouraging India to resume dialogue with Pakistan for stability in South Asia.

Political analysts and students of history are of the view that there is a cultural disconnect. Thought process and action in the west on issues might be debatable among Muslims. But if non-Muslim governments enter the debate, they run the risk of being labeled Islamophobic, especially if they adopt an approach in line with Western Values. Rising tide of intolerance in India and Europe (as well as the United States and Canada) shows the commonalities of them all preparing for an ultimate assault on the Muslim world. This is a moot point for the Muslim world to deliberate on and to plan ways and means to avoid such situations that may result in assault because of narrow and particularisticview of the world and aggressive religious beliefs and racist policy of some quarters.

The situation in context of Pak-India relations is very complex and tense.Things are not that bad in context of Pak-US relations. These relations are moving positively in the right direction but we need to do more to improve this scenario to make it brighter and more in line with interests of both countries. Our effort should be to help create conditions where India does not come in our way. Saner elements should independently take notice of Hindu assertiveness and fundamentalism that has blackened the face of secularism and democracy.

Nationalism has to have acceptance only if India was a tolerant country and society. Sadly the current point of contention is the Indian ‘sacred cow’. For that matter and ‘symbol’ humans are being thrown to the beast’s the Hindu religious fanatics who have refused to shed their prejudices against Muslims even in 68 years of Independence. The BJP’s policy of nationalism is racism. Indian Hindutva contradicts all democratic norms and human values.

It is time to take stock of what is behind fake secularism and to ponder on actual sources of hate and terrorism. How comethe mob lynching and death of a man do not move world leaders over allegedly consumingbeef? Look at the madness. Why are the champions of human rights mum? Leaders need to act to remove threats to peace in southAsia. India should stop the ceasefire violations for restoration of peace at the line of control and the working boundary. Destabilizing role being played by Indian intelligence agencies in FATA; Balochistan and Karachi must come to an end for the sake of peace.

It is clever journalism and effective public relationing that makes people talk. We have to have an effective lobbying to make Pakistan’s view point known to the world, when and where it is needed. We need to focus on how Pakistan is defined. We need to build country’s soft image to get rid of the blame game that haunts us. We are victim of terrorism. Yet we are blamed for it. Pakistan needs courage in leadership and stronger moral base as an aid to developing abilities and capacity to meet challenges the nation faces; and to project country’s world view through fortified public policy and government directed to establishing peace and security and economic development.

Improving a society needs analysis to focus on traditions, history,, mores values attitudes and behavioursparticularly about wealth and power, politics and the vision of the elite regarding organizing and reorganizing society (interms of structural functional analysis and systems improvements).

The relationship of the elite and the electorate has to focus on the needs of the people, changing perceptions, stressing importance of empathy and fight against indifference and inequalities and tendency toward polarization of the society and extremism. We shall not accept any stereotyping of our country. All that is wrong must be corrected through deliberate planned effort to problems-solving.Why do we give chance to others to label us?Itis responsibility of the elite to see what could be done against those who spoil our national image. Much could be achieved in this context through effective checks and control on the media, particularly the electronic media.

The role of the political elite and the socialite should be to address the manifestations of poverty and decline. Urban community development and Rural Development multipurpose projects would not be something new in Pakistan. All it requires to do is to restart these development programmes with a new zeal and more effective coordination of activities at various levels of the government with focus on pivotal role of the local government. Task has to be undertaken with active participation of the people in local government. Task has to be undertaken with active participation of the people in local communities to improve the level of living of the people.

Proper planning and concerted effort for urban and rural community development programmes have the potential of bringing change in Pakistan on democratic lines and keeping the communities and the country up, specially in terms of building a positive image of Pakistan.

No stereotyping of Pakistan is acceptable.

The writer is a former director, National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) a political analyst, public policy expert and an author. His book post 9/11 Pakistan has been published in the United States.