1

(A PERPETUAL SAGA OF UPS &

• SOVAN SINHA ROY

MADE
BY:-
 INTRODUCTION WITH OVERVIEW 2
 THIS IS AN INTRIGUING YET SOMEWHAT PECULIAR TALE OF TWO NEIGHBOURING NATIONS WHICH ARE
METAMORPHICALLY FAR AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF THOUGHTS,ACTIONS & ASPIRATIONS ETC.
HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INDIA & PAKISTAN.
 INDIA IS A COLOSSAL NATION BLESSED WITH IMMENSE POTENTIAL , IT IS ACTUALLY ‘A FEDERAL
PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUIONAL REPUBLIC’ WITH A POPULATION OF 1.21 BILLION PEOPLE (AS OF 2011
CENSUS) ,THE 2ND LARGEST POPULATED COUNTRY WITH A TOTAL AREA OF 3.288 MILLION SQUARE KM (7TH
LARGEST AREA OF A COUNTRY IN THE WORLD) .WHEREAS,THE OTHER NATION WE ARE DEALING WITH IS
PAKISTAN ‘A FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARY REPUBLIC’ WITH A POPULATON OF 191 MILLION (6TH LARGEST IN THE
WORLD) .IT HAS AN AREA OF AROUND 803 THOUSAND SQUARE KM (36TH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TOTAL
AREA).
 IN THIS INITIATIVE OF OURS WE WILL TRY TO EMPHASIZE ON THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SCENARIO BETWEEN THE
TWO NATIONS WITHOUT DELVING MUCH INTO THE ECONOMICAL & GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF THE TWO.
 SO “INDO-PAK RELATIONSHIPS (A PERPETUAL SAGA OF UPS & DOWNS )” WILL REVOLVE AROUND THE VARIOUS
STAGES THE TWO DOMINIONS HAVE TRAVERSED OVER THE YEARS GONE BY, THE STATUS QUO & FUTURE
POSSIBILTIES .IT WILL FOCUS ON CORE ISSUES THAT HAVE AFFECTED THE TWO AND THE ROADS THE
RELATIONSHIP MAY TAKE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER FOR GOOD.
THE GENESIS OF DRIFT-THE
PARTITION 3

INDIA AND PAKISTAN BOTH GOT INDEPENDENCE IN AUGUST 1947,

FOLLOWING A NATIONALIST STRUGGLE LASTING NEARLY THREE DECADES.
IT SET A VITAL PRECEDENT FOR THE NEGOTIATED WINDING UP OF
BRITISH EMPIRES ELSEWHERE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
THE LARGEST MASS MIGRATION IN HUMAN HISTORY OF SOME 10 MILLION
PEOPLE. AS MANY AS ONE MILLION CIVILIANS DIED IN THE
ACCOMPANYING RIOTS AND LOCAL LEVEL FIGHTING, PARTICULARLY IN THE
WESTERN REGION OF PUNJAB WHICH WAS CUT IN TWO BY THE BORDER.
ON THE BASIS OF TWO NATION THEORY, ERSTWHILE INDIA WAS
ULTIMATELY DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE UNIONS- ONE WITH A MUSLIM
MAJORITY (PAKISTAN) AND THE OTHER WITH A HINDU MAJORITY (INDIA)
.THIS IS COMMOMLY SEEN AS THE OUTCOME OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN
THE NATION’S ELITES.
 4
AFTER PAKISTAN, INDIA ATTAINED INDEPENDENCE ; THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES
WHICH HAVE IMPACTED THE INDO-PAK RELATIONSHIPS. KASHMIR ISSUE , WATER
DISPUTES, TERRORISM, TERRITORIAL DISPUTES ARE THE MAIN IRRITATING FACTORS
IN THEIR RELATIONS.
NUCLEAR ISSUES AND KARGIL WAR ALSO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN
STRAINING THE BOND BETWEEN INDIA & PAKISTAN POST THE PARTITION THAT
MARKED THE GENESIS OF DRIFT.
 THE AFTERMATH OF INDEPENDENCE
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MOHD ALI JINNAH WAS THE CATALYST WHO MARSHALLED FOR A SEPARATE NATION
CALLED PAKISTAN. HIS CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THE OTHER NATIONALISTS OF THAT
TIME INCLUDING SARDAR PATEL & NEHRU LED TO THIS DRASTIC UNRAVELLING AS A RESULT
PAK WAS FORMED AND IT IS SAID TO HAVE ATTAINED LIBERTY ON 14-08-1947 .
WHAT FOLLOWED NEXT WAS THE IMMINENT ANGST OF PEOPLE EXPRESSED IN THE FORM
OF ATTACKS ON ONE ANOTHER. THIS PARTITION HAD DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE
ENTIRE LANDSCAPE OF THE NATION AND HAD ECONOMICALLY & SOCIALLY AFFECTED IT.
THERE WAS A HUGE UNREST AMONG THE CITIZENS OF BOTH THE NATION WHICH
CULMINATED INTO MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF DISPUTES & ACTS OF DEFIANCE AS
MENTIONED IN BOOKS LIKE ‘AVOIDING ARMAGADDEON’ BY BRUCE REIDEL .
 THE INDO-PAK WARS (1965,1971)
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This war started following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to
infiltrate forces into Jammu & Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against rule by
India. India retaliated by launching a full-scale military attack on West Pakistan.
The seventeen-day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides and also
witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II. The hostilities between the
two countries ended after a ceasefire was declared following diplomatic
intervention by the Soviet Union and USA and the subsequent issuance of the
Tashkent Declaration. Both India and Pakistan claimed victory. Some neutral
assessments pointed out that India had the upper hand over Pakistan when
ceasefire was declared. while others credited Pakistan for the position.
This war was unique in the way that it did not involve the issue of Kashmir, but
was rather precipitated by the crisis created by the political battle between Sheikh
Mujib, Leader of East Pakistan and Yahiya-Bhutto, leaders of West Pakistan
brewing in erstwhile East Pakistan culminating in the declaration of Independence
of Bangladesh from the state system of Pakistan. Following Operation Searchlight
and the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities, about 10 million Bengalis in East Pakistan
took refuge in neighbouring India. India intervened in the ongoing Bangladesh
liberation movement. After a large scale pre-emptive strike by Pakistan, full-scale
hostilities between the two countries commenced. Within two weeks of intense
fighting, Pakistani forces in East Pakistan surrendered to the joint command of
Indian and Bangladeshi forces following which the People's Republic of Bangladesh
 THE KARGIL WAR (1999)
The Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place 7
between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the
Line of Control (LOC). In India, the conflict is also referred to as Operation Vijay
which was the name of the Indian operation to clear the Kargil sector.
The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants
into positions on the Indian side of the LOC, which serves as the de facto border
between the two states. During the initial stages of the war, Pakistan blamed the
fighting entirely on independent Kashmiri insurgents, but documents left behind by
casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff
showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces, led by General Ashraf Rashid.
The Indian Army, later on supported by the Indian Air Force, recaptured a majority of
the positions on the Indian side of the LOC infiltrated by the Pakistani troops and
militants. With international diplomatic opposition, the Pakistani forces withdrew
from the remaining Indian positions along the LOC.
The war is one of the most recent examples of high-altitude warfare in mountainous
terrain, which posed significant logistical problems for the combating sides. To date,
it is also the only instance of direct, conventional warfare between nuclear states (i.e.,
those possessing nuclear weapons).
 FOCUS ON THE THINGS UNITING US
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 SPORTS : INDIA AND PAKISTAN SHARE A HEALTHY RIVALRY IN SEVERAL SPORTS ESPECIALLY
HOCKEY & CRICKET WHERE THE FANS OF RESPECTIVE NATIONS COME TOGETHER & SUPPORT
THEIR TEAMS PASSIONATELY. FOR ONCE HATRED IS KEPT ASIDE AND SHEER ENTHUSIASM &
HEALTHY LIGHT MOMENTS CREEP IN.
 CINEMA: THE PAK FOLKS & MEDIA KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON BOLLYWOOD, TO BE PRECISE THEY
ADMIRE & FOLLOW A POTPURRI OF BOLLYWOOD STARS CLOSELY FOR INSTANCE THE KHANS &
BIG B ETC. NEEDLESS TO MENTION MOVIES LIKE BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN ALWAYS STRIKES A COR
AMONG PEOPLE OF BOTH SIDES.
 ENERGY COOPERATION: THE 2,700 KM INDO-PAK-IRAN PIPELINE PROJECT IS ANOTHER ENTICIN
PROSPECT ALBEIT THE PROJECT HASN’T YET BEEN CONCLUDED BUT $7.5 BILLION PROJECT IS
 THE IDYLLIC PERCEPTION
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SOME PEOPLE STILL FIRMLY BELIEVE INDIA AND PAKISTAN WILL AGAIN
UNITE OR AT LEAST
HAVE THE BACK OF EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY, NO BLAME
ATTACHED TO THEM FOR THEIR ULTRA OPTIMISTIC IDEALISM AS IT IS
STILL A DISTANT POSSIBILITY BUT FOR NOW IT IS A DREAM.
THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD THEIR BEEN NO PRECONCEIVED
NOTIONS ABOUT RELIGION,ETHNICITY & LOYALTY.
IT IS NOT ENVIABLE TO HATE THE PEOPLE OF A NATION , HOWEVER ONE
CAN ABHOR THE MODULUS OPERANDI OF A NATION AND THE AUTHORITY
THAT GOVERNS IT . HERE, OUR TALE SOUNDS THE SAME .
INDIANS FEEL THE TERRORIST GROUPS, ISI & PAK ARMY LET THEIR
ENTIRE COUNTRY DOWN A NUMBER OF TIMES, SIMILARLY THEY HAVE
THEIR OWN VILLIANS MARKED IN INDIA WHOM THEY RECKON AS A
THREAT & OBSTACLE TO THEIR NATIONAL INTEGRITY.
 THE PERIOD POST THE ADVENT OF
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THE MILLENNIUM
 Eventhough , since the beginning of the new millennium there hasn’t been any
significant instance of strife between the two nations yet the amount of enmity has
seen no recession as a matter of fact Certain confidence-building measures — such
as the 2003 ceasefire agreement and the Delhi–Lahore Bus service – were
successful in deescalating tensions. However, these efforts have been impeded by
periodic terrorist attacks. The 2001 Indian Parliament attack almost brought the
two nations to the brink of a nuclear war. The 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings,
which killed 68 civilians (most of whom were Pakistani), was also a crucial point in
relations. Additionally, the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by Pakistani militants
resulted in a severe blow to the ongoing India-Pakistan peace talks.
 POLITICAL ASPECT
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 According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, 11% of Indians view Pakistan's
influence positively, with 45% expressing a negative view, while 19% of Pakistanis
view India's influence positively, with 54% expressing a negative view. Since the
election of new government in Pakistan in mid-2013, significant steps are being
taken to improve relations, in particular the consensus on the agreement of Non-
Discriminatory Market Access on Reciprocal Basis (NDMARB) status for each other,
which will liberalize trade.
 Lately the two prime ministers NAWAS SHARIF & NARENDRA MODI have actually
displayed a tactful approach while dealing with several issues and signing pacts &
not so long ago did the two sat on a discussion regarding a plethora of prospects .
Understandably, after achieving an overwhelming mandate Modi has zeroed in on
a few things and improving ties & facilitating trade especially with Pak & other
neighbouring countries has been there right up among his agendas.
 26/11 12
In November 2008, 10 Pakistani members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic
militant organisation, carried out a series of shooting and Bombing
attacks lasting four days across Mumbai . Ajmal Kasab, the only attacker
who was captured alive, later confessed upon interrogation that the
attacks were conducted with the support of the Pakistan government's
intelligence agency, the ISI. The attacks, which drew widespread global
condemnation, began on Wednesday, 26 November and lasted until
Saturday, 29 November 2008, killing 164 people and wounding at least
308.
Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai: at Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe,
Cama Hospital, the Nariman House, St. Xavier's College etc. By the early
morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj hotel had been
secured by Mumbai Police and security forces. On 29 November, India's
National Security Guards (NSG) conducted 'Operation Black Tornado' to
flush out the remaining attackers; it resulted in the deaths of the last
 THE KASHMIR CONFLICT
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ARGUABLY THE PRIME TOPIC OF PAKISTAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN KASHMIR. NO MATTER WHENEVER
INDIA RAISES THE HEAT AGAINST THE ERRONEOUS & ROGUE APPROACH OF THE PAK ARMY THAT
GOVERNS THEIR NATION et al, PAK RAISES THE ISSUE OF KASHMIR. IRONICALLY IT IS THE KASHMIR
GHATI THEY DEVASTATE THE MOST BY VIRTUE OF THERE RELENTLESS FELONIOUS ACTIVITIES. ON
THE OTHER HAND INDIA HAS MAINTAINED IT’S STANCE THAT THE ENTIRE KASHMIR WILL NEVER
BE HANDED TO PAKISTAN.
KASHMIR HAS INCIDENTLY BEEN THE EPICENTRE BEHIND THE WAR OF 1965 & 1999 BUT IT IS STILL
AN INTEGRAL PART OF INDIA EVENTHOUGH SOME PART OF IT IS SHARED BY PAK (AZAD
KASHMIR) & CHINA (AKSIN CHIN) .
THE POLITICAL PARTIES OF J&K AND THE POLICE FORCES THERE HAVE OFTEN BEEN UNABLE TO
CURB THE MENACE OF PAKISTAN AS A RESULT THE INDIAN ARMY DEPLOYED THERE IN LARGE
NUMBER IS THE ONE THE NATION VEHEMENTLY COUNTS ON WHENEVER THE KASHMIR CONFLICT
RESURFACES.
 THE CONTEMPORARY STATUS
THE INCUMBENT SITUATION DRAWN FROM ACRIMONIOUS 14
INSTANCES FROM RECENT PAST SUGGESTS IT ISN’T ROSY ‘LET
US EMBELLISH THE NOTION WITH A FEW WELL DOCUMENTED
INCIDENTS:-
1) THE DRONE DRAMA
ON JULY 15,2015 PAKISTANI OFFICIALS CAME UP WITH AN
ABSURD CLAIM WHICH WAS THOUGHT TO BE SENSATIONAL
.THEY SAID THEY HAVE SHOT DOWN AN ALLEGED INDIAN ‘SPY
DRONE’ WHICH INTRUDED THE OPPOSITION TERRITORY. TO
THIS THE INDIAN OFFICIALS NOT ONLY SUCCEEDED TO PROVE
THE ALLEGATIONS FALSE BUT ALSO RIPPED THEM APART BY
FURNISHING CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCES THAT CONFIRMED THAT
IT WAS A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE “DJI PHANTOM III”
DRONE WHICH WAS MADE IN CHINA & INDIA DOESN’T
PROCURE DRONES FROM CHINA. MOREOVER,IT WAS A DRONE
WITH A VERY SHORT RANGE WHICH WAS ACTUALLY USED BY
THE PAK POLICE FORCES FOR HIGHWAY PETROLLING. SO,THE
BOTTOMLINE IS THEY BROUGHT DOWN THEIR OWN DRONE
AND TRIED TO ACCUSE INDIA TO CONCEAL THEIR FOOLHARDY.
2) THE NAVEED INCIDENT
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ON 5TH AUGUST 2015 ,TWO PAKISTANI TERRORISTS

WERE CAUGHT IN UDHAMPUR (J&K) .THEY WERE
ON A MISSION TO DESTROY THE ASSETS AND KILL
SEVERAL INNOCENT INDIANS. THEY ATTACKED A BSF
CONVOY IN UDHAMPUR AND KILLED TWO TROOPERS .ONE
PERSON WAS GUNNED DOWN BY THE SECURITY FORCES BUT
ANOTHER WAS ULTIMATELY NABBED BY TWO LOCAL
CIVILIANS. THE MAN CAUGHT ALIVE WAS MOHAMMED
NAVEED ,A PAK TERRORIST BRAINWASHED WITH IDEA OF
JIHAD. HE CONFESSED HE WAS ON THE VERGE OF WRECKING
HAVOC IN THE LIVES OF MANY INNOCUOUS PEOPLE. HE TOLD
HE WAS AFFILIATED TO LASKHAR-E-TAIBA AS HE TRAINED AT
A CAME OF THEIRS PRIOR ENTERING TO INDIA.
PAKISTAN INITIALLY TRIED TO BRAZEN IT OUT SUGGESTING
3) CEASE FIRE VIOLATIONS,INSURGENCIES
,INFILTRATIONS & SKIRMISHES 16

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF CEASE FIRE VIOLATIONS

,INSURGENCIES, INFILTRATIONS BY OUR COUNTERPART VIA THE LOC
REGIONS AND OTHER BORDERED REGIONS IN J&K AND PUNJAB. THE
STAGGERING PARADOX IS IF WE WERE TO ACTUALLY ENUMERATE THE
NUMBER OF MAJOR & MINOR INCIDENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE RECENT
PAST BETWEEN THE TWO THEN A COMPLETE SEPARATE BOOK CAN BE
QUITE EASILY CREATED FROM IT EXAMPLES ARE INCIDENTS OF POOCH &
ARNIA SECTOR OF JAMMU & KASHMIR.
THUS, THE CONTEMPORARY STATUS OR STATUS QUO IS BLEAK AND IT
ONLY SEEMS TO GO FURTHER DOWNHILL FROM HERE AFTER UNFOLDING
OF THESE EVENTS.HOWEVER, FRESH NEGOTIATIONS MAY TAKE PLACE BUT
ALL SUCH CASES ARE LIKELY TO PROVE SUPERFLUOUS.
 WHAT LIES AHEAD?!
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 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUCH PERTINENT ISSUES OF GENERAL CONCERN ONE
THING MUST BE ENSURED THAT IS “ONE SHOULD NOT WANDER IN A WORLD
OF SENTIMENTS & EMOTIONS RATHER HE/SHE SHOULD BE SENSIBLE &
RATIONAL ENOUGH TO BIFURCATE BETWEEN WHAT SERVES BEST TO THE
INTERESTS OF EVERYONE & WHAT HAMPERS IT AND HENCE IS TO BE
CONDEMNED”.TODAY, WHEN WE DISCUSS ABOUT THE BILATERAL TIE IT’S
UNFORTUNATE SOME OF US STILL FIND OURSELVES IN LIMBO. WE INDIANS
TIME & AGAIN BROKE THE DEADLOCK ALL FOR IT TO GET FROM BAD TO
WORSE YET THE SWITCH HASN’T BEEN KILLED.
 INSURGIENCIES, CEASE FIRE VIOLATIONS & INFILTRATIONS IN THE RECENT
YEARS CANNOT BE IGNORED NOR CAN THEY BE DEEMED AS SOMETHING
BEARABLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ARROGANT STANCE OF PAK ON SEVERAL
OCCASIONS HAS NEVER GONE DOWN WELL WITH THE INDIANS.
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BY THE OMINOUS SIGNS ONE CANNOT UTTERLY DENY THE FACT THAT ANOTHER
WAR MAY TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE NATIONS IN THE POSTERITY BUT LET’S FACE IT
AT PRESENT THIS WRITING ON THE WALL IS SO CRYPTIC THAT ONE INVARIABLY HAS
TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES BEYOND DEPTHS OF AUSTERITY IN ORDER TO PREDICT
IT.
THEREFORE, MAY WE CONCLUDE BY EVINCING THAT THERE IS NO CERTAINTY AS TO
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF INDO-PAK RELATIONSHIP?
NEVERTHELESS, ONE THING IS FOR SURE WE HAVE ATCUALLY ACQUAINTED THAT :-

“IF WE CONCEIVE THAT THERE IS STILL A FAIR CHANCE THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES
WILL RECONCILE AND AGAIN BECOME A SINGLE CONSOLIDATED UNIT WHERE
COMPREHENSIVE LOVE, PEACE, UNITY & HARMONY DWELLS THEN WE ARE GROSSLY
MISTAKEN AS IT IS NOTHING ELSE BUT A UTOPIAN VISION FAR FROM PRAGMATISM” .
 SYNOPSIS 19
‘INDO-PAK RELATIONSHIP (A PERPETUAL SAGA OF UPS & DOWNS)’ IS INDEED AN APT TITLE CONSIDERING THE FACT
THAT THE TWO NATIONS CAN NEVER BE ON THE SAME PAGE . WE HAVE DISCUSSED ABOUT THE GLIMMERS OF
HOPE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUSED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 69 YEARS BUT EVERY SUCH EFFORT HAD TO
ULTIMATELY VANISH IN AN AIR OF DESOLATION.
EVENTHOUGH WE DO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE HOI POLLOI OF PAKISTAN BUT THAT DOESN’T OBFUSCATE THE FACT
THAT THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY IN PAKISTAN, THE MILITARY & THE TERRORIST GROUPS BACKED BY ISI THERE
DOESN’T WANT CAMARADERIE BETWEEN THE TWO DOMINIONS. THEY WILL DO ALL THEY CAN TO TRY AND IMPOSE
AUTHORITY OVER INDIA & TEND TO SEND SHOCK WAVES ACROSS THE VARIOUS TERRITORIES OF “HINDUSTAN”
BUT NEVER EVER WLL THEY GENUINELY BE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH AS THAT OF INDIA & FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM SINCERELY BECAUSE IF THE ACTUALLY TRY TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION THE SNAKES THEY HAVE
NURTURED IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD WILL BITE THEM REMORSELESSLY.
ERGO, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY STATING THE FACT THAT WAGING A WAR IS NOT AN OPTION ANYMORE AS
IT WILL WRECK AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF CARNAGE & LOSS UNPARALLED NOR IS IT ADVISABLE TO MAKE
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE & STRENGTHEN THE BILATERAL TIE WITH A NATION THAT HAS FAILED
MISERABLY TIME & AGAIN .SO, THE LAST RESORT WE CAN MAKE OUT IS TO LET HUMANITY FLOURISH
INDEPENDENTLY IN THE TWO NATIONS SEPARATELY WITHOUT ONE INFLUENCING OR MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE
OTHER AS IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF BOTH THE NATIONS SANS ANY SHED OF BLOOD & MUTINY.
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