It was the dark period of militancy in Punjab in the 80’s. I happened to be in a meeting of Senior Citizens of Ludhiana District with the then Governor Siddhartha Shankar Ray, I recall having made a suggestion which I sincerely feel I should share with our readers.

On being asked what India can do to improve relations with the neighboring Pakistan which was often accused of encouraging militancy in Punjab, I pointed out that one way will be to promote people to people contact. People in both Pakistani and Indian Punjab have much in common in respect of language, culture, cuisine , customs. It will be easier for them to strike a chord.

As a confidence building exercise, I suggested government of India could take initiative in facilitating visits by people from both sides between Amritsar and Lahore. A dawn to dusk visa may be issued to visitors. This beginning may result in promoting amity between people of both sides. And, as the scale of contacts went up, the quantum of goodwill and amity will also grow. But an angry Ray shot down the suggestion.

Even today, I firmly believe that the only way to promote peace in the region is to promote  people to people contact. Instead of accusing each other of promoting terror or interference in the internal affairs, the leaders of both India and Pakistan will do well  to focus on promoting people to people contact and lifting restrictions on travel between the two countries.