Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Islamabad is currently buzzing with political activity with the elections for the upper house, the Senate, and an official visit by the Indian Foreign secretary S Jaishankar.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, busy with election activities, still took time out to meet him who called upon to discuss major issues of mutual interest and the need to restart the dialogue process.

As Sharif rightly pointed out, both countries need to start a new chapter in terms of bilateral ties, especially since India suspended any form of dialogue with its neighbor seven months ago on allegations of Pakistani interference in Indian-held Kashmir.

This meeting comes at a time when the Indo-Pak bilateral ties are on an all-time low, with the neighbors hardly communicating at any level whatsoever.

Moreover, senior experts and politicians in Pakistan, such as former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, believe that Jaishankar's visit shouldn't be seen with much optimism because of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lack of seriousness in the peace dialogue.

Such pessimism on the Pakistani side stems out of Modi's apparent support for right-wing groups in India, which may never agree on solving issues and improving ties with a Muslim neighbor such as Pakistan.

Sharif has long been advocating and pursuing a policy of a peaceful and stable South Asia. It seems that Sharif's persistence with his policies has finally paid off with Modi extending an olive branch by sending Jaishankar to Islamabad.

But it apparently came at a hefty cost. Although Modi's discourse toward Pakistan has been aggressive, the recent political developments in New Delhi may have given him a point to ponder.

The Aam Aadmi Party's clean sweep in the Delhi polls against his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party may have given Modi a wakeup call on his policies both at home and abroad.

Also, Modi has recently been under fire for his inaction against the ultra-nationalist Hindu groups and their harassment of the significant Muslim minority of the country.

Modi may have realized that he needs to consolidate on improving his image and thus take a fresh start in terms of policymaking.

Additionally, Modi's decision to send Jaishankar to Pakistan may be influenced by a third force, such as US President Barack Obama.

On his recent visit to India, Obama took a keen interest in resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue and betterment of their bilateral ties.

But even with Modi's goodwill gesture and Pakistan's reciprocation, there are a number of important issues yet to be solved, topped by the disputed Kashmir. Others include the Samjhauta Express bombing investigations, Indian reservations on the actions of the Pakistani militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Pakistan's allegations of Indian interference in Balochistan and the tribal territories.

Where India calls Kashmir its Atoot Ang(Indestructible Part), Pakistan considers it its Shah Rag(Jugular Vein).

With such emotional and strategic attachments, getting Kashmir on the table, let aside negotiations, seems to be a difficult proposition in the short term. Peace seemed to be on the table in talks in 1999, but the Kargil War that year and the fraught civil-military relationship in Islamabad pushed the process off track.

If both India and Pakistan are now successful in restarting the dialogue process, the top priority should first be getting Kashmir on the table.

A good start to do so would be trying to achieve peace on the Line of Control, the Indo-Pak border in Kashmir.

Any failure to discuss and resolve this primary dispute would certainly halt any peace and bilateral dialogue from taking off.

And once an amicable solution on Kashmir is reached, solving all other outstanding issues could be a mere walk in the park.