That was a world order then, dictated by the West and supported by their industrial and technological achievements of the time. It is still a land of gold. Look at the interest that large and medium powers are showing in the region.

Unfortunately, we have been thrust into a new world order. The hazards of globalisation with selective employment of the principles of market economy bodes badly for the least developed countries, and unless the least developed countries and regions put their acts together they will face a new kind of colonisation, but the effects and the anguish and the pains will be no different than what our forefathers had endured under the old colonisers. For Saarc countries the danger is even more grave.

And what is the order that prevails in the globe today? The current world order is characterised by a unipolar world, with the USSR in 1991 under Gorbachov compelled by circumstances to abdicate its global role, as a balancing if not a global power, thereby allowing a free hand to the US to dominate the world through, what has now come to be established as the policy of preemption.

The end of the Cold War era promised a transformed world and a New World Order that has now given way to New World Disorder where international law is interpreted to suit the interest of the great powers. Ethics have been thrown out of the window to give way to serve the narrow national interests of larger nations, and where threat of use of force has become the major foreign policy instrument. Islam has replaced communism as the major threat to the West.

Linked with the West are the international lending institutions, whose policies, dictated too by the West particularly the US, have done more harm than good, whose prescription for "good governance" is obligatory on the part of the recipient countries to follow. And their definition of good governance means following their advice of structural adjustments and other prescriptions that are not only anti-poor, they generally go against the interest of the developing countries.

The greatest harm done to the globe and which has the potential to destroy the world eventually is global warming to which the West is the biggest contributor. In this regard the biggest defaulter is the US, which contributes almost 25 percent to GHG effect. Yet it refuses to sign the Kyoto Protocol, and in fact has disassociated with it entirely, under pressure from its corporate bodies motivated by its unbridled consumerist culture.

The world has changed since 9/11, for what happened in September 2001, and how the US and its allies have chosen to pursue their foreign policies since, focusing against one ideology as their threat. The so-called war on terrorism has been used to validate all manner of illegal actions by the US, both at home and abroad. The countries of South Asia have unwittingly become US partner on President Bush's war on terror that has thrust the world into terrible uncertainties.

The current global environment demands a new South Asia that will truly be for the people and by the people of the region.

A new South Asia we had ventured upon a quarter of a century ago, through the instrument of Saarc. But we have been disappointed by its progress, hamstrung by the negative fallout of Indo-Pak strategic equation. After all, a group can progress only as fast as the slowest member in the team. And it was not the smaller countries of the region but the two bigger ones that really were the deadweights on the association.

Its proactive role, led by the largest country in Saarc was what was needed to stem the deleterious consequences of globalisation from which, as an erudite South Asian diplomat said very recently, only a few countries are benefiting while the rest of us are being globalised.

It will be difficult to answer in one word the degree of difficulty to achieve a new South Asia. But many in the region have started to "imagine" a new South Asia, started to dream about what might become if the region were to de-link from old mindset and shed the baggage of history and commenced jointly towards establishing new and prosperous region.

To this end a platform has been created to enhance cooperation between the countries of the region by accentuating the points of convergence, through involvement of its citizens. And this is to be done by utilising the existing networks and alliances and region wide initiatives and campaigns. The initiative is as inspiring as is its name -- Insa, which stands for "Imagine a new South Asia."

The new forum will in many ways supplement the efforts of Saarc in providing socio-economic security to the people of the region. And, as Mr. I K Gujral said in the inaugural session of Insa's seminal meeting to determine its future work plan, held in New Delhi between the 27 and 30 March 2007, it should be an instrument to enhance the performance of "unofficial" Saarc, one of the two positive fallouts of the regional organisation.

Formed as it was, preceding the 14th Saarc summit, fulfilling the goals of Insa is dependent upon how well the citizens' initiative is organised in completing the research agenda that are based on four themes namely, economic management, natural resources and sustainable environment, human rights, democracy and governance, and last but not the least, peace and justice.

The underlying thought that drives the initiative, to not only imagining but also creating a new South Asia, is that there is need to craft a win win situation for all in whatever policy that is formulated by the implementers of the dream, the respective governments.

There is a consensus that being the largest country India must not shy away from taking unilateral policy decisions; it is for India to show the way. The Indian prime minister's announcement at the 14th Saarc summit in New Delhi on April 3, to allow access of duty-free goods from other Saarc countries without reciprocity is a very good beginning.

One came away from the Insa meeting with the very encouraging thoughts. The people of South Asia are sharing their dreams of the future. So long it has been a case of having different dreams while sharing the same bed.

People's mindset is beginning to change, so will South Asia, we hope.

The author is Editor Defence & Strategic Affairs, The Daily Star.