Kasauli, Oct 10 (IANS) The three-day 14th edition of the Khushwant Literary festival started on Friday in this picturesque tourist resort of Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the vision and values of the much-acclaimed author and journalist Khushwant Singh.

Recalling Khushwant Singh’s epochal novel, “Train to Pakistan”, former Research and Anaysis Wing Chief A.S. Dulat stressed the need for a dialogue between India and Pakistan.

“There should be a warm handshake, be it in cricket field or a diplomatic table.”

At the same time, he warned against the Gen Z turmoil spreading across the country.

In an informal conversation with the media, Dulat said that the recent uproar in Ladakh “is a warning for the nation, though it looks like a feeble possibility at this stage”.

Talking about the India-Pakistan relations, which have been under strain for quite some time, Dulat said that there “is an urgent need for a dialogue. Linking it straight to the upsurge of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, he recalled that after the Kargil conflict the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee still invited General Pervez Musharaff for talks in Agra knowing very well that General Musharaff as the Pakistan Army Chief had masterminded the Kargil intrusion”.

“So, cross-border talks must go on, even if it has challenges,” he added.

Commenting on the on-field cricketing ties strained between India and Pakistan, he said that the spirit of the game must be upheld.

“If you don’t want to play with Pakistan, don’t do it, but if you are playing a match then handshakes should not be an issue.”

In a session, celebrated actor Anup Soni, popularly known for his ‘Crime Patrol’ serial, underlined the need of mutual communication in society to avoid incidents of crime and conflict.

He said that violence in “society is generated out of stress for which social interaction and mediation need to be part of our lives”.

–IANS

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