Following the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Pakistan's rulers came under tremendous pressure to align their policies with US designs. That meant subjugating Pakistan's national interests to those of Washington’s.

A general election in India, the world’s largest democracy, is now underway. Millions of people are set to choose their representatives in a free and transparent election that should be the envy of most developing countries. 

The last round of talks between Taliban representatives and the US lasted more than 12 long days in Doha. There was no breakthrough but both sides at the end of the marathon meeting knew exactly each other’s position on some of the more contentious issues.

In the eternally sour relations between India and Pakistan, voices of sanity have been repeatedly drowned out by the noise of populists pandering to powerful lobbies on both sides of the divide.