EVER since the end of the Indo-Pakistani war in December 1971, a true peace settlement on the subcontinent has been blocked by disagreement over what to do with three groups of political hostages, totaling more than 500,000.
> India is the increasingly unwilling custodian of 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, whose upkeep so far has cost more than $20 million.
> Bangladesh, the new nation formed by dissident Bengalis in the former province of East Pakistan, has 250,000 Biharis (non-Bengali Moslems) who want to be repatriated to Pakistan.
> Pakistan, in turn, is holding about 200,000 Bengalis who were trapped in the...