India and Pakistan both engage in fierce rhetoric against each other. The casualty in this continuous tirade is the common man of both nations. The Kargil war alone cost the Indian exchequer more than Rs 10,000 crore. Pakistan too had to pay a huge price for the war. Both countries can ill-afford such expenses. The Times of India has come up with a novel approach. Instead of fighting Pakistani terrorism with violence, we are advised to buy Pakistani goods to bolster our neighbor’s economy. Terrorism arises from the rich-poor divide in Pakistan. 2% of Pakistan’s population controls over 90% of the wealth. Plutocracy has replaced democracy. The poor become terrorists to subsist. President Pervez Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Shariff and Imran Khan all belong to the feudal upper class. It is to their interests that the status quo be maintained. After all, poverty is an acknowledged weapon to incite violence. India is blamed by Pakistani politicians and the ISI for Pakistan’s poverty. The time is ripe for India to show to the world that she is willing to help Pakistan come out of this vicious circle of poverty and terrorism.

Yet this show of goodwill may not bring in peace.

We need to factor in America who always wants tripartite talks.The US insists that the talks between the two neighbors will fail unless she mediates. This the US does to safeguard her own interests. Pakistan is the base for USA’s anti-terror campaign in the region. India too has to be kept in check by the US if the latter is to maintain her global hegemony. Moreover the Pakistan and Indian Himalayas are rich in natural gases. So the US will not allow peace to come back here. Every effort for peace by both India and Pakistan will be foiled by America.

The newly appointed Gen. Kayani is reputed to be a polished golf-player. Nawaz Shariff’s relatives live in the UK. Benazir Bhutto was for all practical purposes a UK citizen for a long time. One wonders whether English speaking countries have Pakistani leaders in their pay-rolls. That way everyone who matters is happy. The rich have their strongholds intact and the foreign countries continue to have their say in South-east Asia. Terrorism will also continue to flourish for the poor will continue to have no other option to earn a living.

How much does Pakistan produce for India to buy and help her? Even if we did buy en masse Pakistani goods, will the money trickle down to needy Pakistanis? Or will it be swallowed up by rich middlemen who run sweatshops throughout Pakistan. Surely, US multinational companies would not like to shut the cheap factories in Pakistan anytime soon.

Though noble, the idea of buying Pakistani goods may ultimately backfire on us. Our markets will be swamped with low-quality stuff and hardened Pakistani businessmen will laugh their ways to overflowing banks.