Pakistani hopes for summit

Expectations for the summit are growing

By BBC News Online's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi

Pakistani intellectuals have described the public mood in their country as hopeful and enthusiastic for the summit between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Several Pakistani academics, professionals and business people - in India for a meeting on the sidelines of the summit - said that pressure was building on the two leaders to improve relations.

The mythology of the summit is very important

Hamid Haroon Dawn chief editor Dawn

And they said that the meeting created the opportunity to foster already existing relations between the people of India and Pakistan.

Hamid Haroon, chief editor of the Dawn newspaper, believed the media hype in the run-up to the summit was actually useful.

"The mythology of the summit is very important," he told BBC News Online.

"It is clear that everyone wants a solution and the optimism is not misplaced," he said.

Historian and writers Hamida Khuhro said there was a "tremendous public push for something to come out" of the Vajpayee-Musharraf talks because "people were fed up of continued enmity".

"The reaction to the [announcement of the] summit was almost one of hysteria," she said, adding that satellite television had helped to break down barriers.

"People in Pakistan watch Indian television programmes and that helps break down cultural barriers," she said.

Literary ties

Many pointed out that such cultural links already existed.

Literature is the most creative form of engagement because it relates to people's lives

SS Mehdi Vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia

Syed Shahid Mehdi, vice-chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia university in Delhi, said that Indian literature in several languages was being translated into Urdu and made available to Pakistanis.

"Literature is the most creative form of engagement because it relates to people's lives," Mr Mehdi said.

Hamid Haroon echoed the view that it was time to move on.

"We are a civilisation 10,000 years old. Surely we are old enough to hold a dialogue."