Srinagar, July 17 (KNS) : In a thought-provoking statement underscoring the urgent need for transformative diplomacy in South Asia, Awami National Conference Senior Vice President Muzaffar Shah on Wednesday invoked the newly signed Kensington Treaty between Germany and Britain as a powerful example of historical reconciliation and forward-looking statecraft.

Highlighting the extraordinary symbolism of two former wartime adversaries—whose bloody conflicts in the 20th century devastated continents, decimated populations, and crippled economies—now coming together in a pact of cooperation, Shah urged India and Pakistan to draw lessons from this profound moment in European diplomacy.

“The same Germany and Britain that once fought cataclysmic wars, reduced cities to rubble, and inflicted immeasurable human suffering, have now signed a treaty of collaboration across sectors such as information technology, defence, security, trade, environment, and ecological preservation. More significantly, they’ve pledged to uphold each other’s sovereignty—declaring that an attack on one shall be considered an attack on both,” Shah remarked.

“This is not just diplomacy—it is statesmanship anchored in the wisdom of history,” he added.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Contrasting this enlightened approach with the persistent hostility between India and Pakistan, Shah called for a bold reimagining of bilateral relations. “Instead of draining national treasuries on arms procurement while millions languish in poverty, both countries must realise that enduring peace, not perpetual enmity, is the true path to national strength,” he asserted.

He advocated for the demilitarisation of mindsets, the opening of borders for trade and tourism, and above all, an inclusive political process that involves the people of Jammu and Kashmir in shaping their own future.

"Germany and Britain looked beyond their bitter past and chose a shared future. India and Pakistan must do the same—before it is too late,” Shah concluded, urging both New Delhi and Islamabad to rise above entrenched animosities, prioritize the well-being of their people and shift the subcontinent’s geopolitics from confrontation to cooperation — with the active involvement of the people of Jammu & Kashmir in forging a peaceful, inclusive, and mutually acceptable resolution.(KNS)