Editorial

Continued violations

Quite clearly, India is in an aggressive mood and not ready to take the steps needed to restore calm

Editorial September 17, 2015

A file photo of Indian security forces across the LoC. PHOTO: AFP

Unfortunately, the meeting between the heads of Rangers and the Indian Border Security Force on September 10, in which it had been agreed to restore the ceasefire which dates back to 2003, has not been a success. The spate of firing and mortar attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary continues and on September 16, the Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned to the Foreign Office and an official protest was lodged against the death of a Pakistani soldier in a mortar attack. There had been hope that the meeting between the two senior military officers, held after many months, would lead to a calming of the situation. Nothing, in fact, seems to have changed.

The question is: where do we go from here? The Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, has made it clear that the onus for calling any fresh meeting to discuss the issue lies with India. He has pointed out that it was New Delhi that called off the scheduled dialogue between the National Security Advisers of both countries a few weeks ago and there has been little direct contact between the two capitals since then. Pakistan says India has made no offer of a dialogue on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.

Things then do not look good, and we are posed with serious questions regarding ways to escape the stalemate we have reached and the animosity that goes with it. Quite clearly, India is in an aggressive mood and not ready to take the steps needed to restore calm. To make matters more complicated, we see a very hawkish stand from the Indian media, which seems to be bent on pushing forward the line that Pakistan is to blame for all incidents occurring on the LoC. This is, of course, not entirely accurate and will only influence public opinion in India against Pakistan. Greater trust and tolerance for the other, if not friendship, need to be developed between both sides if we are to get past differences that have developed over the last many years. There is no other way to foster lasting calm in the region, which looks like a distant prospect at the moment.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2015.

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COMMENTS (3)

Komal S | 9 years ago | Reply India has been saying let us focus on confidence building measures, before we go over the contentious issues. Anyone with common sense would think this is a right strategy. Unfortunately Pakistan wants to discuss all issues. Only way for it to keep Kashmir issue alive is to keep LOC charged up. This is in spite of the fact that there is less public interest on this, for example we know only couple of thousand people showed up for million man march in London few months back for Kashmir cause. Pakistan is repeating the same mistake that Congress did in India, make Modi a monster to get public support, but unfortunately for Congress and now pakistan it will only drive more people to Modi. Just a recent survey says, 2/3 rd of India supports Modi, and Pakistan is considered the least favorite nation.

cautious | 9 years ago | Reply To make matters more complicated, we see a very hawkish stand from the Indian media, which seems to be bent on pushing forward the line that Pakistan is to blame for all incidents occurring on the LoC. . One might say the same thing about Pakistani media. When was the last time ET printed anything which implied Pakistan was partially at fault?

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