GILGIT:
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has advised the Pakistani government to take the lead and withdraw its troops from Siachen Glacier where 138 troops and civilians were buried by a massive avalanche over a week ago.
On April 7, a giant wall of snow crashed down in the Giari sector, swamping the battalion headquarters of 6 Northern Light Infantry, where 124 soldiers and 14 civilians were stationed. Nine days on, rescuers have yet to pull out a single person, dead or alive.
The tragedy swung a spotlight onto the 65-year-old conflict between Pakistan and India, and ignited debates on the futility of the battle on ‘Earth’s ceiling’ for over two decades.
“Let’s not make it a matter of ego. Pakistan should take the initiative,” Sharif told journalists after surveying the Giari sector where a massive rescue operation is under way.
Senior leaders of his Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) – including Senator Mushahidullah, Marvi Memon, Mehtab Abbasi and Pervez Rasheed – accompanied Sharif.
Sharif advised both Pakistan and India to climb down from the icy battlefield, resolve the festering dispute and then spend the billions of rupees they would save on the welfare of their impoverished people.
He recalled that, during his stint as prime minister, he had launched a dialogue with then-Indian premier Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve the Siachen issue. He called upon the incumbent governments in both countries to follow up on that in the “larger interest of humanity”.
In Skardu, the PML-N chief also spent time with the families of soldiers trapped under the snow and enquired about their issues.
He paid tribute to soldiers for defending the country’s frontiers. He also gave away cheques for Rs 500,000 to each aggrieved family.
He announced that the Punjab government will provide a job to each affected family and finance the education of their children.
Rescue operation
Meanwhile, toxic gases hampered the search for the trapped soldiers, as American and Norwegian experts reached the site to help the operations.
Rescuers have dug tunnels in the hard mass of snow and ice to try to reach the buried soldiers and civilians, but toxic gases have built up inside one of them, the military said in a statement.
A rise in the temperature has increased the risk of further snow slides, the statement said, forcing workers on the site to take extra precautions. Specialist teams from Norway and the United States arrived at Giari, while Swiss and German teams have returned home after helping the efforts.
Search teams are looking for the trapped soldiers and civilians at six different points.
More than 450 rescuers are working at the site, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors.
Gilgit unrest
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif also spoke about targeted attacks on the Shia community in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan and denounced the PPP-led government for its failure to stem the tide of sectarian violence in the country’s troubled spots.
The authorities had clamped a curfew in Gilgit town following a deadly bout of sectarian violence on April 3. But Sharif said curfew was not a solution to the problem. He said that the government should have brought the rival sects to the negotiating table to ensure durable peace in the region.
(Read : Siachen — the facts)
(with additional reporting by sumera khan in islamabad)
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (53)
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Okay did MIan Sb just bring politics into Siachen at this time when we should be grieving our martyrs.
@Lala Gee
Siachen and the area adjacent to the glacier towards east upto Karakuram Pass is all part of Baltistan valley out of which you grabbed some including Siachen glacier due to the absence of Pakistani Army there
Says you, but statements without any basis are not worth discussing. So Genius, how does Pakistani army withdrawing help india "occupy" something we have already "occupied"??
Dear Editor: I had written 2 comments to ET-very detailed ones that required thorough analysis-and I find that ET has censored them. Since you have chosen to censor them, I will not comment further in ET. By the way, I did read your FAQ on comment guidelines and I have followed them to the letter! Nobody was offended by my letter advocating peace! Cheers.
@Shyam:
"Thats why your army stays in Gilgit and Baltistan so that Indian army does not come in.??? Your army tries to claim Siachen and has repeatedly failed to take it and thats why Indian army is there. Got it?"
Siachen and the area adjacent to the glacier towards east upto Karakuram Pass is all part of Baltistan valley out of which you grabbed some including Siachen glacier due to the absence of Pakistani Army there. You also need to get it.
@Lala Gee
I thought you have a claim over all the rest of Gilgit and Baltistan as well. My mistake.
Thats why your army stays in Gilgit and Baltistan so that Indian army does not come in.??? Your army tries to claim Siachen and has repeatedly failed to take it and thats why Indian army is there. Got it?
Who will trust india??? Indians have violated all the accords with Pakistan
@Bilal:
What makes you think that Siachin belongs to Pakistan?
Go and read Pakistan constitution; you will not find Kashmir in it. Pakistan has only four states and FATA. period.
If Kashmir is not a part of Pakistan, how can you think of Siachin as a part of Pakistan.
Keep dreaming....
Well said i didnt expected it from you but good sign for democracy in pakistan. Hopefully a day will come that they will start giving chances of leadership in there parties.
Its a good suggestion, but is India ready for this: Please see their unwillingness at: http://defencenews.in/defence-news-internal.asp?get=new&id=1145 Pakistan is in fact unfortunate in this regard to have India as her neighbour.
@Shyam:
So the Indian have no hindrance in occupying the rest.
"Genius, Indians already occupy all the peaks. Pakistan is trying to dislodge Indians from Siachen and not trying to hold on to territory."
I thought you have a claim over all the rest of Gilgit and Baltistan as well. My mistake.
@Hassan:
Let me add this to your comment. It can then block the way to China by Pakistan. It can control Gilgit and Baltistan.
@Raven:
Nice try!. Dont worry we are not withdrawing. Nawaz dont have power in the centre so he has no authority to do anything. Remember this is an election year. Politicians will try to please everybody. I will not believe this Nawaz liar one bit. Once a liar always a liar. He lied about the deal with Mushy when he left from jail to Saudia on a ten year plan.
@Syed Ali: Indian leaders may be as corrupt as Pakistani leaders but they dont sell their country. Musharraf was right about Nawaz Shareef that he is a pea brain and his vision is not beyond his nose. Nawaz Shareef tell us how much you get from India? only one sugar mills, you cheap sh@t.
@Plal: There won't be any international pressure on India. They can place troops wherever they want within their own territory. Maybe some from inside India, though. If pressure from outside hasn't come with both there, one leaving won't change anything in that regard. Internationally it's probably more along the line of "...if you think it's worth it."
@ Lala Gee
So the Indian have no hindrance in occupying the rest.
Genius, Indians already occupy all the peaks. Pakistan is trying to dislodge Indians from Siachen and not trying to hold on to territory.
what has he done during his 'RAJ' - prince of lahore must say something else, to please masses.....
@Syed Ali: "Good comments and sense expressed by Mian Sahib. i wish there was one single leader in India of his wisdom and suggest the same to his government and army. Unfortunately none."
India has already presented a solution tha is honorable for India and Pakistan. Both countries sign off on AGPL (Actual ground position line) and then retreat to the 1971 positions thereby demilitarizing the region. It is a reality whether Pak signs it or not. If Pak signs it both countries can withdraw honorably.But Pakistan chooses not to do so.
well done Nawaz sharif.i think it time to pull outout troops from these heights and starts talks with india.its totally madness to be there for nothing except loss of liives of our troops.Nawaz sharif seems to be sincere leader. he has learent lesson from past.
@punekar:
"Pakistan can sign the AGPL and everyone can go home. This is something India has been proposing for a long time. We are ready if you are."
So that your totally illegal occupation, which is an open violation of Simla Accord, get legitimized. You think Pakistani nation is so naive, though no doubt Pakistani leaders are, and can be fooled with propaganda and lies.
A joke by Nawaz sharif. He has no sense of what happened in history. It was indian army who first took places and occupied areas of Siachen. Pakistan sent their troops in self defence. If pakistan withdraws, india will start occupying one mountain after another and one day gilgit and skardu will be in their hands.
@Faesal:
If India was so opportunistic why didn't it take all the key positions in 1965 and 1971?
India is a status quo country.
No it will be a wrong step to withdraw troops by Pakistan at this stage. It will be coward step and will amount to showing white flag to India on the pretext of harsh weather and inhospitable terrain. Indian troops are also deployed on the same type of terrain and under same weather conditions for the last 30 years but they haven't complained. It was just a chance and bad luck that avalanche hit the Pakistani side and Pakistani troops are facing it boldly. I would request our politicians to keep away and should not use Siachen tragedy as their political tool in their vested interest.
@Babloo:
"India wont take an inch of territory accros the agreed and signed international border and LoC, even if you dont have any army. India does not have the same trust about Pakistan."
Like you honored the Simla Accord in case of Siachen in 1984, and LOC in case of Kargil in 1970, and International Boundary in case of East Pakistan in 1971, and still we are stupid enough to trust India. What a twisted mindset.
@Syed Ali: Buddy, this is the same nawaz sharif who signed Lahore declaration with vajpayee and then planned the kargil misadventure with Musharraf. stabbed on the back...
He is the most distrustful guy in pakistan!!
How one wishes that Sharif would have done this when he was in power. Or he would have demanded it earlier soon after the elections when his party was in the current govt. Of course both Pakistan and India should disarm the area ASAP without more loss of life and money hemorrhage. It is ironic that each leader makes sense only when they are out of power, when in power they have to follow the deep state.
@ashok what are you trying to say? Siachen belongs to Pakistan...one day India HAS to vacate it.
@Syed Ali:
After Kargil, Indian media and its politicians learned their lessons.
What we are doing is essentially is making a bankrupt Country spend Billions of Rupees, that it can ill afford, on Siachen. India with its big economy can.
All India asks is for Pakistan to point out exact co-ordinates on a map where the Actual Ground Position lies and everything will be over.
India will not withdraw. The best outcome for India is to have Pakistan continue the present strategy- India is ready to spend xxx amount a year - but that is only worth if pakistan is spending xx. The worst outcome will be for Pakistan to unilaterally withdraw- then what? That will be indeed a very very difficult position for India- but again that will never happen- Pakistan will not be withdrawing.
That will be the best & most sensible decision ever!! No country is gaining anything by stationing their troops there. But will the army agree to it??
Pakistan has no troops to pull out, they are all several hundred feet under the snow, what Mr. Sharif is talking about? Everyone knows India won't pull out. End this discussion, stop blowing hot air.
Best suggestion so far. We can accept the AGPL and what is written in the treaty, which says that border runs North towards glaciers. Except for our army, North magically means North East towards India, which is causing so much problem as usual. Thats the reason, no international community backed us. Further, India can well afford to maintain troops with its booming economy. We are getting broke maintaining our ego at such heights. Unilateral withdrawl after accepting the AGPL line as border is the best solution.
Nawaz is only playing point scoring.Idiot even dont understand the strategic value of siachin. what will happen if he becomes a PM again.GOD Bless Pakistan.
What a sham and what words of wisdom. He wants both governments to spend money on the people. This is Pakistan which is spending money on terrorists so that they can wage an assymmetric war on India. How can India believe such 'leaders'. Nawaz was responsible for Kargil.
What a genius he is?
So the Indian have no hindrance in occupying the rest.
What a joke?
Instead of proposing both do the same simultaneously, he said what only a dumb, self serving politician can say. A desperate attempt to please India and keep Pak Army under pressure. Don't know when Pakistan will get rid of such fake leaders, though much blame goes back to Pak Army who made him a leader in the first place.
@Skin Taj
Hmmmm I do not think so, since he says things which have no basis in reality. They are good soundbites though, for gullible folks who have shallow understanding of realpolitik
Sher-e-Alam Chirag-e-Haqeeqat Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif talking politics, and not selling some bottle-water deceitfully entitled "Tsunami".
Another political gimmick to gain the cheap popularity. What unilateral withdraw N.S is talking about ? He knows very well that both countries are already agreed to withdraw forces provided Pakistan acknowledge the present position of Indian troops, in black and white.
Will PML-N take the initative to share the responsibilty and support the government & PA for unlateral withdraw of forces ? Remember Indian army is insisting to record the present position of its forces in Siachen to establish Indians claim in case of any settlement of J&K dispute, in future.
now that comment makes sense.
Nawaz Shariff makes sense that Pakistan should take the initiative to vacate Siachin from its present deployment - as it is in better position to redeploy force, if required than India.Pakistan is on lower ridges, which are well connected by road, while Indian forces are on higher ridges and they need to be air lifted to their position and so quick redeployment will not be possible.Pakistan's initiative will also force India to rethink their position- as international pressure will also increase on India,It will be strategic gain for Pakistan ultimately.
There is a Musharraf somewhere who will do another Kargil. How can India trust Pakistan?
Those who have their identity and ideology messed up can't be trusted with ethos. We don't care about ego. Bring it up or bring it down, useless and immaterial.
He is there to get some electoral mileage. So should be ashamed of his political tactics since it is a national tragedy.
Shame on Nawaz for using a tragedy as a political tool.
If Pakistan can actually do that "“Let’s not make it a matter of ego. Pakistan should take the initiative,” Sharif told journalists after surveying the Giari sector where a massive rescue operation is under way." It will in a single stroke change the dynamics of the relationship, without losing an inch of territory. Pakistan , for the first time ever in its history with India, perhaps enjoy the higher, saner ground. You have to know, India wont take an inch of territory accros the agreed and signed international border and LoC, even if you dont have any army. India does not have the same trust about Pakistan.
Well Mr. Nawaz Sharif can keep his suggestion to himself. There is no way we are backing off from Siachen unilaterally.
indians with their vicious opportunistic behavior, will occupy important peaks which the Pakistan currently holds.
Good comments and sense expressed by Mian Sahib. i wish there was one single leader in India of his wisdom and suggest the same to his government and army. Unfortunately none. The hawkish nature of Indian Media and right wing there is so strong that it looks like adream to have peace between two neighbours.
Mr Sharif. is maturing and is talking sense !!!!!!!!!!
The only leader who has the brains and courage to say this in public. PMLN Zindabad!
Good call by Nawaz Sharif. Pakistan should take the lead to withdraw. If GHQ doesn't want to withdraw, let GHQ be shifted to Siachen.
There are no Pakistani troops in, at, on, within, above, below, adjacent, near or around Siachin.
Pakistani troops at the most are on western side slopes of Saltoro ridge.
Siachin is on the eastern side of Saltoro ridge.