External Affairs Minister SM Krishna is back after a three day visit to Pakistan along with his entourage including a 70-strong media team. One would have expected a mega media event but apart from the liberalised visa agreement what we got was lengthy speeches and interviews with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khar. Reading these reports or watching/hearing her, one came away with mixed impressions. Was Ms Khar being insensitive, patronising or making it a convenience?

Insensitive, when she advised us to forget incidents like November 2008 and ‘move on’. The past need not be a millstone but surely history’s milestones teach both nations a great deal. In her speech at the Press Conference the loquacious Khar said not a word on terrorism much less 26/11. By stressing instead on the doable she was telling us there will be no joy on these issues. To now say that the younger generations do not carry the ‘baggage of history’ is typical salon talk. There are thousands of bereaved Indian families who lost their young to terrorism in wars thrust upon us. We owe it to these families to show that their sacrifices were for a cause to secure our nation and will not be beguiled into a false peace.u00a0