Causes of distrust

PRIME Minister Manmohan Singh's congratulatory message to President-elect Asif Ali Zardari, indeed, contains noble thoughts about turning the corner in Pakistan-India relations that "responds to the aspirations of our two people". There is little doubt that like anywhere else in the world most people in the two countries would like to have friendly ties with their neighbours to live in peace and harmony. But mutual trust that invariably serves as the bedrock of such an equation is woefully lacking between Pakistan and India, and that makes the development of a relationship of understanding improbable.