Last Wednesday, there was an Urgent Question on the subject of the emergency involving the nuclear powers of India and Pakistan. Once again, a parliamentary session on the Kashmiri dispute had to wait until the last minutes for a mention of the Commonwealth.
One can understand HM government's unwillingness to appear to dictate a solution, or to favour one side or the other, given our history as the imperial power. However, there are other Commonwealth nations who can be objective and act in good faith in helping to resolve the situation.
There are no words to describe the criminal cynicism of the allegedly Pakistan-based terrorist group behind the suicide bombing which killed 40 Indian paramilitaries. They would have known about the imminent Indian general election in which the ultra-nationalist Mahendra Modi seeks to hold on to his premiership. Clearly they calculated that the Indian government would over-react in the heated election atmosphere. Gratifyingly, both Pakistan and Indian leaders have pulled back from the brink and one hopes that the calmer atmosphere will prevail.
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