Once again the two neighbouring countries are back to square one. They have re-started their decades old “Blame Game”. This Game has always been the beginning of hype towards a conflict and has been often resorted to by both the sides to divert the attention of their teeming millions from the more pressing and realistic basic issues of day to day living. It is a confirmation of the fact that the “beneficiaries of conflict” are stronger than the ones pleading for peace and tranquillity in the region. One is tempted to ask a question whether the leaders were sincere and genuine in the first place when they proclaimed from roof tops the initiation of the peace process. Starting with the symbolic breach in the sub-continent’s “Berlin Wall”, the “Line of Control”, by starting a fortnightly bus service, the process had been gaining momentum and was acclaimed all over the world as the beginning of a new era in the relations between these neighbours who had been in a state of continuous conflict for over half century. A number of confidence building measures were initiated and it was repeatedly declared by the leaders of the two countries that the peace process is irreversible. Both sides were proceeding very cautiously and the maximum bonhomie had started developing between the elite on two sides. Unfortunately, the interaction had not percolated below the “cocktail circuit”. One must realise that the mistrust of centuries cannot be overcome overnight especially when there are numerous vested interests benefiting from the situation of conflict. The friendship at the five star levels cannot withstand the emotional upsurge generated by interested parties in the grass roots people on two sides. It is not for the first time that efforts at building peace and friendship have been wrecked by such events. There are several examples where the two sides came so near but were again torn apart by similar events in the past. There is only one conclusion. The mistrust is too deep. The confidence building measures are simply treating the symptoms and the disease continues to afflict both the sides. These are only pain relievers and not the real medicine for the ultimate treatment and cure. Any genuine attempt at solving the difficult issues such as Siachin Glacier, Sir Creek, Wular Barrage, Baghliar and so on gets frustrated due to basic mistrust. Not to speak of Kashmir, which is a highly emotive and volatile issue for both the sides? The first priority for both sides is to develop the basic trust and that too at grass roots level. This needs some very drastic steps. The Indians have to genuinely and honestly reconcile to the partition of their country and accept the creation of Pakistan regardless of the reasons which prompted its creation. Pakistanis have to consider themselves as the citizens of this sub-continent and not residents or representatives of the extended Arab lands. No doubt religion unites Muslims all over the world yet they continue their cultural roots as Turks, Iranians, Tunisians, Algerians, and Indonesian etc. Pakistanis have their roots in the sub-continent and are not outsiders as portrayed by some fanatic groups in India as also by some of their own extremist groups in Pakistan. Apart from the historical conflict between the two communities due to the invasions from outside, the greatest trauma is of partition itself. Till the arrival of the British, the Indians had jointly faced the outside invaders. There was no conflict on the basis of religion. The conflict was introduced by the British from the first war of Independence of 1857, which they call the Mutiny. During their 200 year long occupation they perfected the policy of divide and rule and sowed the seeds of a conflict which seems irreconcilable. Due to their continuous attempts at poisoning the minds of local people, the two sides take differing views about certain historical events. The Indians consider Mahmood of Ghazni and Ahmad Shah Abdali as hated invaders while as Pakistanis are taught to respect them as heroes and great fighters. They even name their missiles and rockets on these. Even though the British have physically left the sub-continent, yet they continue to rule us by proxy and maintain a very subtle and invisible hold on all the affairs of the countries of the region. To support them and do their bidding they have very cleverly created westernised elite in both the countries. They claim to be liberal, progressive, intellectual, and secular. However, in actual practice quite a few of them still harbour old prejudices and have streaks of fanaticism just under the skin. The political set up in both the countries is in the hands of “professionals”. The young and budding generations try to keep off from the political mainstream or rather they are kept away! They usually opt for some decent jobs in multi-national corporations and in a large number of cases they prefer to leave their native countries for good. Politics has become a very lucrative profession. People invest huge amounts of money in getting elected and then during their tenure after election they try to recover the same with a sizeable profit. There is a dearth of leaders who are in the field just for the sake of ideology or high moral values. These people are always on the lookout for any excuses to divert the attention of masses from real issues. “Blame Game” is the best alternative. In Police terms the easiest thing is to close a case as untraced. The “Unidentified”“, Unknown” and “Untraced” are the best short cuts to close every type of investigation. No body has the courage to admit intelligence failures before the event and incompetence in investigations after the event. The best is to apportion the blame on a known enemy in such a vague and confusing way which can never be proved or unproved. India has over a dozen Naxalite and rebel movements in different parts. We cannot blame everything on Pakistan. This is a simple escape route. We should rather be looking at the causes of these upheavals so that these are remedied to restore peace. Similarly, Pakistan has a large number of areas of unrest. The Balochistan, Waziristan, Northern Areas, and parts of Sindh. Instead of trying to redress the under lying causes, they too look for scapegoats to apportion the blame. These games are bound to continue till there is honest and genuine leadership on both sides which is not only popular but also capable of taking historic and momentous decisions to end the era of mistrust. In the meantime, the worst sufferers of the conflict are unfortunate Kashmiris. There seems to be some sort of a curse on the people which always prevents a solution when it is almost at hand. In the alternative, the people seem to have become insensitive to such a level that these things do not matter to them at all! Dr.Iqbal has said that God does not change the condition of a people who do not have their own urge to change it. In the present circumstances, the two neighbouring countries do not seem to be in a hurry to sort out their problems including the so called “Core Issue” of Kashmir. It is now for the people to show whether they have the urge to change their condition or they wish to continue to live like vegetables as they have lived for last four centuries or so? Such an urge does not necessarily have to be violent to manifest itself. An unflinching belief in one’s convictions is enough to bring a change for the better and enable realisation of the goal. Do we have the leaders to lead us to that? That is the million dollar question!