By NNN-Bernama
Islamabad : As Pakistan plunges into political uncertainty, its archrival India is wary of developments that could destablise the region and its bilateral relations with its neighbour.
Since the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, the two countries had fought four wars, with relations between them over the years have been marked by tension and disputes. But of late, more pragmatic leaders have been trying to change that.
Indian leaders have been counting on more liberal Pakistani leaders like the late Benazir Bhutto to improve bilateral ties. But following her demise in a gun and bomb attack in Rawalpindi on Thursday, such hopes may grow dimmer.
India is concerned over the possibility of a terrorism spillover, cross-border crime and the status of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons if militant groups take control of its neighbour.
In the wake of Bhutto’s assassination, India immediately suspended two train services, namely the Samjhauta Express and Thar Express, as well as the Delhi-Lahore bus service — moves that indicated its uneasiness over the situation in Pakistan.
Dr Karan Singh, who is the Congress Party’s Foreign Affairs Cell chairman, said a stable and democratic Pakistan was vital for the region and India.
“If Pakistan is unstable, it’ll definitely have a negative repercussion on India. States (in the border areas) and the central government have to be more vigilant as the spillover of terrorism is bound to happen. This is not good for the entire South Asia,” he told Bernama.
Brahma Chellaney, a professor of Strategic Studies at India’s Centre for Policy Research, said India could expect some uncertainties in bilateral relations with Pakistan against the backdrop of the volatile situation in in the aftermath of the assassination.
Former Pakistan foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmad said relations between the two neighbours had been testy since the military seized power in Pakistan in 1999.
But ties have been improving following efforts taken by both sides to initiate dialogue some years ago.
India-Pakistan annual bilateral trade amounts to about US$4 billion.
The four wars between India and Pakistan had claimed the lives of 22,600 people and injured 60,000 others.