Those criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for inviting Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani of Pakistan to the cricket World Cup semi-final in Mohali are missing the wood for the trees. Consider a counter-factual. India and Sri Lanka reach the final of the tournament.

This time ‘cricket diplomacy’ will bring about some long-term and positive changes between the two countries as for the first time an elected representative from Pakistan is visiting India to watch a cricket match.

With careful diplomatic scripting, India and Pakistan began talking again this week...Then, unexpectedly, a cricket match intervened, and almost overnight, the scope and possibilities of the dialogue have changed. The national teams of India and Pakistan have both advanced to the semifinal round of the cricket World Cup tournament, now in progress.

Cricket diplomacy is the opposite of the notorious “gunboat diplomacy,” in which forces are deployed and coercion is used against the opponent. In the context of Pakistan-India relations, the history of diplomatic episodes in the name of cricket is not new.

Adobe Youth Voices students had a unique opportunity Thursday night to participate in a pioneering form of citizen diplomacy: a “virtual exchange” between students in California and Pakistan. The AYV Peapod Academy in Redwood City, California connected with AYV & iEARN sites in Karachi & Islamabad...

The United States Embassy has encouraged more Pakistani students to study in America and representatives of 11 US universities met students and their parents.

For Beijing youth Pakistan’s National Day Reception is a popular, much anticipated event. It provides them an opportunity to mingle with top diplomats and high officials of the Chinese civil and military bureaucracy and gives them a chance to taste Pakistani cuisine and enjoy Pakistani music and dance.

Strongly condemning the desecration of the Holy Quran in Florida, the United States, Ulema on Friday urged the Muslim Ummah to adopt a comprehensive strategy to help check such incidents and to avoid confontration among the followers of different religions.