LAHORE | Over 60 Indian and Pakistani students participated in a video conference on March 1 to engage in discussion over the ongoing political scenarios in their respective countries.
The event began with a presentation from two Indian Seeds, Jehan and Neel, who spoke about the 2014 Indian general elections, their expected results, and their potential impact on Indo-Pak relations. Both expressed hope that the results would improve ties between India and Pakistan on the economic, political, and social levels.
The Pakistani participants from the Trust and Crescent Schools in Lahore posed probing questioning regarding the platforms of major political parties in India and their positions on Pakistan.
Two Pakistani Seeds, Talha and Abdur, spoke about the realities on the ground in Pakistan, historical and future implications, and the importance of the peace talks in northwestern Pakistan. The Seeds spoke candidly of the ongoing conflict between the Tehreek-e-Taliban militant groups and the Pakistani military. The presentation presented the implications of the negotiations and military action being considered by the Pakistani government.
The participants debated pros and cons of negotiation versus military action. Ultimately, participants from both sides agreed that the Pakistani government needed to make a decision quickly, because either option would be better than the current deadlock.
Later in the day, participants traded places in the debate on the talks between the Pakistani Government and the Taliban.
“Having a direct conversation with Indians was a first time experience for me,” said a Pakistani participant. “I learned about their mindset and what misconceptions do we have of each other, and I would be glad to talk with them again.”