New Delhi: As the composite dialogue remains
stalled after 26/11, noted Pakistani human rights activist
Asma Jehangir today favoured creation of joint think tanks
within the civil societies to discuss Indo-Pak issues.
"Think tanks should be formed within civil societies (of
the two countries) to identify issues and formulate
strategies," she said at a three-day India-Pakistan Conference
here, with a theme on 'A Roadmap Towards Peace'.
She also favoured joint planning committees and joint
agenda to avoid "disfunctionalism" in such peace conferences.
Strongly pitching for sustained fight by civil society
against terrorists who are using religion for their "sinister
agenda of caging minds", she said while people of Pakistan are
fighting, "we need support and understanding" from India. "If
Lahore is Talibanised, Amritsar cannot be far behind."
Addressing a segment on 'Militancy, joint mechanism and
role of US', Jehangir said her country is experiencing a
"fragile democracy" and going through a phase of transition
which is like "walking on the eggshells".
She also felt that once the American forces quit
Afghanistan, both that country and Pakistan may see a "regime
change". "There is no transfer of power, only a transition (in
Pakistan)," Jehangir said and indicated that pro-military rule
elements in Pakistani establishment are getting stronger.
"Those elements are like little worms who come out during
rains...we can again smell the rain approaching," she said,
but noted that "voices of dissent" within the civil society
are also emerging stronger.
PTI