current affairs MCQ #12494

A Pakistani prime minister is advised by two camps before a SAARC summit: one recommends making Kashmir the sole agenda item, the other recommends engaging on trade and connectivity first to build trust. Evaluating regional diplomatic history, which approach has been more effective?

current affairs MCQ #12494

  1. Question 1

    Q1. A Pakistani prime minister is advised by two camps before a SAARC summit: one recommends making Kashmir the sole agenda item, the other recommends engaging on trade and connectivity first to build trust. Evaluating regional diplomatic history, which approach has been more effective?

    • A) Making Kashmir the sole agenda item has historically produced the most concrete progress because it focuses pressure where it matters
    • B) A dual-track approach — raising Kashmir formally while simultaneously advancing cooperation on trade and people-to-people contacts — has historically created more durable diplomatic momentum than single-issue maximalism
    • C) SAARC's charter prohibits bilateral disputes from being raised at its summits, making the first camp's advice constitutionally impermissible
    • D) Engaging on trade first without raising Kashmir sends a signal of weakness that India exploits to avoid accountability

    Answer: A dual-track approach — raising Kashmir formally while simultaneously advancing cooperation on trade and people-to-people contacts — has historically created more durable diplomatic momentum than single-issue maximalism

    Explanation: Historical experience of India-Pakistan diplomacy shows that single-issue maximalism — insisting Kashmir be resolved before any other progress — has consistently led to deadlock, while periods of relative engagement (such as the 2004–2008 Composite Dialogue) produced incremental progress on trade, visas, and confidence-building measures.