Dear Mr Modi

Dear Mr. Modi

Not withstanding many of the reasons the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan allowed the release of a POW, how about we take this at face value?

I refuse to believe Imran Khan is an Islamist, a pathan supremacist, or a vehicle of any kind of misguided Islamic jihad. I do know that being a politician in Pakistan is a much tougher gig than it is in India, given the Ulèma-esque Zia-ul-Haq style rhetoric that has always dominated the completely lawless politics of Pakistan. Just like many parts of rabid, fake Hindutva-infected, Goonda-Raj dominated India.

Imran Khan is one of the good guys. He is, of course, surrounded by people of a coarse visceral mindset, which unfortunately forms the bulk of the easily-led voting public. Just like in India.

He has an uphill task of modernising his nation's polity. I am sure you know this.

India crossed that narrow bridge a long time ago. Or so I thought. The Talibanisation of Dharma worries me deeply. I sincerely hope it worries you too; worries you enough to lead the disparate conglomerate nation that is India into the modern world. Now is not the time to hark back to a world that, that despite our golden-glossed high school history books, never was. War is an outdated concept. Only barbarians settle over fisticuffs. We are not the Dothraki. I like to think we have evolved. The India I know has, for sure.

Imran Khan is hostage to a twisted ideology - a role he is expected to play, and yet he, at the risk of violent derision and possible threats to his life, has extended an olive branch. You should grab it.

Help him. Pakistan may be a failed state, a horrible country, a hotbed of extremism, an incubator of terrorist outfits, and opposed to everything India is.

But your everyday Pakistanis are nothing like that. They were our brothers once. That we live separate lives today doesn't change the fact that they still are our kin.

There are no easy answers, of course.

Pakistan's porous borders, the strong influence of Islamist ideology, widespread racial bigotry, the deeply ingrained hatred towards the 'other' and sectarian conflicts, the blantantly overt persecution of minorities, the utter lack of the rule of law, and outdated blasphemy laws are big challenges Imran Khan faces.

Truth be told, India faces the same set of problems.

India has the military capability of rendering all of Pakistan into rubble in three days. They know it, we know it, the whole world knows it. We don't need to reiterate it by killing millions. The repercussions of our faux machismo since 1947 has already cost both sides so much, and continues to reverberate to this day. Enough is enough.

We invented ahimsa. Here is our chance to revere it. We don't need to reinforce it by killing anyone, or sacrificing any of our own.

Besides, I have first hand knowledge of the plight of families who have lost loved ones in war, in service of their country. Their stories will make any politician with a soul to resign, go home and slash their wrists.

You have an opportunity here. Let's see some mettle. You have it in you to be a bigger man.

Embrace the prodigal son. History will remember.