The response of the Foreign Office to the latest accusations by India must be commended. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The response of the Foreign Office to the latest accusations by India must be commended as they remain focused on the bigger picture, with the spokesperson stressing that the government remains committed to a constructive process of engagement with India. Dialogue between the two countries is, in fact, the only way to move ahead and away from this atmosphere of hostility which leads to accusations and feeds into fears on both sides of the border. While Pakistan looks to India’s increased engagement in Afghanistan warily, India, according to Indian media reports, is fearful that militants based in Pakistan may turn their focus on Kashmir with the impending withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Pakistan must, of course, eliminate all forms of militancy from its soil, because by doing so it will take away a key point of conflict between the two nations.
Such incidents only reinforce the fact that the two countries must go ahead with talks. India would do well to take advantage of this and play its part in improving relations and ensuring that the peace process is not derailed.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2013.
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The Kashmiri Jihadi groups will try their utmost to derail any attempts at a rapproachment between India and Pakistan This latest incident is an example of this. We should condemn these attempts and not defend such actions by these groups.
The Indian government needs to understand our position in this regard.
Less than 10% of the muslims of Occupied Kashmir want to join Pakistan as is found by various opinion surveys conducted over 2005- 2010.
Given these realities, Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmiris will lose control over Pakistani Kashmir and gain very little in return if an independent Kashmir were to be formed. It is NOT in the interest of Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmiris to press for an independent Kashmir.
Since the Kashmiris in India do not want to join Pakistan, a division along the LOC is in the best interest of both India and Pakistan.
So in view of these facts, I do not understand why it is continously stated that Kashmir is a CORE issue betwen India and Pakistan. Why all this hype and chest beating about a non issue.
@numbersnumbers: My dear Mr Brain here. Do you really mean heavily fortify means one soldier standing at one feet distance from each other forming a chain along the entire border. If so then I beg you join army....seriously!!.
Same old pattern -- every time the Pakistani civilian govt starts talking "peace" the Pakistani military either starts shooting or test fires a new high tech anti India weapon. The elephant in the room that few want to acknowledge is that Pakistan won't have true peace with India or Afghanistan unless the Civilian govt takes control of the military.
@Wellwisher: I recall that the Berlin Wall and the border between East and West Germany was about as sealed as you could get!
More than talk is needed. Now, before NS's election mandate has faded, is the time to pursue a FINAL settlement.
I think this was possible because the fence does not lie on the LOC but is well inside Indian territory, forcing Indian troops to patrol both sides of the fence, more so when they observe attempts at infiltration. This has caused lots of complications and problems for all.
Its sad to see that ET does not/cannot express the fact that Indo Pak relations are Tripartite ; +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ the two Govts and the Deep Estabilishment and the latters wholly owned subsidiaries. Without explicit recognition of this factor progress will be imaginary. India's contribution in this three way logjam would be to verystraighforward in its demands and expectation of conduct from the two others.Appeasement didnt work with Hitler and wouldnt work with nuclear powers.
@numbersnumbers: This kind of attack is always possible, since LOCborder is not completely fenced, India has one checkpost for every 5km which consists approximately 10 solders in each checkpost. Imagine if 100 cowards attack on one checkpost with heavy weapons...
@numbersnumbers: No country's border could be sealed as you think. Without knowing how national borders look like you should refrain from commenting.
For India, focused on uplifting its massive poor, Pakistan and Kashmir are a diversionary nuisance.
But, it can hardly give up Kashmir - as it'll lead to balkanization of India on religious lines. If Kashmir indeed secedes from India on the basis of religion, then the right wing rational for making India a Hindu religious state will get strengthened. Also, in Kashmir Hindus and Buddhists (about 25% of population) will be pushed out, just as what has happened in Pakistan in past 60 years.
Thus India will have to keep fighting till better wisdom dawns in Pakistan, or Pakistan breaks up.
Please understand that the India-Pakistan border (along with the LOC) is probably one of the most heavily fortified and guarded international boundaries in the world! This means that not only the physical border but also the adjacent buffer areas are also heavily controlled with numerous guards and checkpoints challenging and identifying any persons walking about! That said, one might wonder how any group of attackers could possibly pass through one side of the border to the other without being detected! Which begs THE QUESTION: Which factions on each side of the border do not want to see good relations between India and Pakistan, and are they somehow responsible for these incidents?