The India-Pakistan Peace Process

The differences and conflict with India and Pakistan revolves around three issues including: the permanent difference between Islam and Hinduism; the fear of Pakistan of India's size and military might and the issue of Kashmir. However, relations between the two, although strictly not easing, both achieved some efforts to ease some tensions after the the terrorist attack on India which India linked to Pakistan, by means of various agreements. Some talks between the two in February 2004 has yielded tangible progress in different areas, including: halted armed hostilities after 13 years resulting from the November 2003 ceasefire along the LoC; establishment of a permanent hotline between the two nation's leaders under the nuclear confidence-building measures; talks on reducing the risk of nuclear accidents and unauthorized use; the reestablishment of a bus line,truck service and reopening of additional rail and road links in some cities between the two; and the opening of humanitarian assistance after the October 2005 earthquake in the LoC area. However, there exist fragility in the peace dialog especially in the wake of a Mumbai bomb blast on July 11 in which accusations of not strengthening peace were exchanged between the two sides.