Without naming India directly, Pakistan’s corps commanders recently stressed the need for “restraint and avoidance of escalation”, saying regional stability depends on “collective restraint, responsibility and respect for sovereignty”.
This statement, says Farooq, is a “continuation of what has already existed in the military – dialogue should continue”.
Even now, few believe the two sides can afford a complete diplomatic freeze indefinitely.
“The two countries have a long history of backchannel dialogues,” Markey notes, “and these have at times been effective ways to mitigate hostility and even to set the stage for more formal dialogues.”
Bisaria also sees “a ray of hope” if the region avoids another major militant attack.
READ MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE..
