In the light of the recent statements made by Chief of Pak Army Gen. Ashfaq P. Kayani and former Indian Army Chief Gen. Joginder Jaswant Singh, SYYED MANSOOR AGHA underlines the need to resolve all the issues including Siachen.
In an unprecedented move General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Pakistan’s Army, has called for resolution of Siachen standoff. At the same time, former Indian Army Chief General Joginder Jaswant Singh, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, has underlined the need to resolve border disputes including Aksai Chin tangle with China. Both the Generals have made similar pleas for peace in the interest of development. China and Pakistan are our neighbouring states and our relations with both have been sour on border issues.
General perception is that Pak Army is the biggest hurdle between the much-sought-after peace and the region. Now the strong plea for peace by General Kayani blew a different bugle sounding cuckoo’s calls. In the chilly environs of Siachen the Army Chief told reporters on Apr 18:
“Peaceful coexistence between the two neighbours is very important so that everybody can concentrate on the well-being of the people.” General added, “Both countries should sit together to resolve all the issues including Siachen.”
He pointed out that defending borders should not be the country’s sole priority. “We in the army understand very well that there should be a very good balance between defence and development. You cannot be spending on defence alone and forgetting about development,” he said.
“Ultimately the security of a country is not only that you secure boundaries and borders but it is when people that live in the country feel happy, their needs are being met. Only in that case will a country be truly safe,” he said.
Underlining the need to cut defence expenditure, he said, “And therefore we would like to spend less on defence, definitely. Any country should do the same – more focus should be on the welfare of the people.”
The General was speaking at Skardu airport in Northern Pakistan after visiting the site of devastation in Gayari sector, swamping the battalion headquarters of 6 Northern Light Infantry, where 124 soldiers and 14 civilians were stationed. On Apr 7, a giant wall of snow crashed down burying whole area in snow and rocks. Tough weather conditions have hampered rescue operation to trace even a single person. General Kayani visited the place of tragedy. Brigadier Saqib Malik, the Siachen brigade commander, said a 61-metre deep mix of snow, ice, boulders and small rocks have covered the battalion camp situated some 13,000 feet above sea level.
INDIAN REACTION
Self appointed guardians of “National Security” are seeing beguile in the General’s bugle and fearing if he is playing any booby trap. As usual in Pakistan matters TV talkers are raising a big “NO” to peace proposal. Plea of “trust deficit” and “betrayals of future” have overwhelmed the need to step ahead with confidence. India is not the same as it was in 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1991. Agni-5 seems to have failed to infuse confidence in the minds of these talkers.
A commentator on First Post, wrote, “Kayani, who was addressing principally an international group of journalists and was evidently channelling a propagandist message, went so far as to advocate ‘peaceful coexistence’ with India. The irony of such a motherhood statement coming from the head of a military organisation that spawns and protects jihadi outfits to wage ‘proxy war against India’ was lost on both Kayani and his audience.”
The article titled, “The Pak talks peace in Siachen, but wages propaganda war” opens all sorts of wounds from the history of hostility and wants to induce the notion, “do not forget past; do not dream future.” Yes, past is thorny and road is bumpy but as wisdom rests in determination to reach the destination, and achieve our goals. Time has changed for Pakistan after US betrayal. We see resolve to change hearts and take neighbour on board is stronger than ever before.
The masses are destined to change the conflict zone into peace region and bequeath a secure, prosperous India for our children. There is no way except talking until all disputes evaporate under the warmth of trust and mutual understanding? There is an urgent call from both sides to eliminate ills and ameliorate lives of the unprivileged and we are on the verge of an opportunity to change the course of history. Should we deprive ourselves to grab this golden opportunity by felling in the bad dreams? If we drag our feet, history will not excuse us.
THE SIACHEN
Siachen is a wretched point. Both countries invest huge resources in maintaining a military presence in the Glacier; an uninhabitable patch of snow and rock. The Siachen Glacier is known as the world’s highest battlefield, and soldiers have been deployed at heights of up to 22,000 ft (6,700m) above sea level. Pakistani experts have questioned the strategic value of positioning troops on the Glacier, where the sub-zero temperatures and weather hazards have killed more soldiers than combat. About 3,000 Pakistani soldiers have died at Siachen since 1984, about 90 per cent of whom perished from weather-related causes.
During the premiership of Benazir Bhutto and Rajiv Gandhi both countries had agreed in December 1988 on withdrawal of troops from the area but later the agreement hit snags. A day after Gen Kayani’s comments, New Delhi welcomed the move. State Defence Minister P. Raju saw a positive note in his comments and said, “I am glad that Pakistan is realising the challenges and the economic problems of maintaining troops on the Siachen Glacier.”
“They have their concerns and we have our concerns but it does take an economic toll. This money can be better spent on development of both countries,” the minister said.
POINT OF DISAGREEMENT
The core of difference between the two is that India wants Pakistan to authenticate positions on the AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line) before demilitarisation and withdrawal of troops. Pakistan is pushing a four-point plan which includes demilitarisation, withdrawal of troops, delineation and authentication. India agrees on demilitarisation but insists that it should be preceded by delineation of the AGPL, authentication of the line and military positions on maps, an end to wrong projection of AGPL in each other’s maps, and then a framework for demilitarisation as the final step for withdrawal of troops.
There is need to move forward from respective conservative positions. In the age of surveillance from the space, scientific methods could be applied to authenticate the line of control and actual positions of military on maps and delineation of AGPL.
The two countries are looking for dates for the next meeting of defence secretaries, which is likely to happen the next month, as the calendar of talks has to conclude by June when foreign minister S M Krishna is scheduled to travel to Pakistan.
In recent weeks India and Pakistan have taken several steps forward to strengthen economic ties. Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari has been inaugurated on Apr 13. This will facilitate movement of transport goods more smoothly. Spread over about 130 acres, the ICP will have passenger and cargo terminals, security and scanning equipment, and passenger amenities, besides waiting areas, restaurants, restrooms, duty-free shops, banks and other financial services. The ICP can handle about 600 trucks at a time. Such more facilities are expected at other places on the border from Punjab to Sindh and Gujarat.
India has formally agreed FDI from Pakistan. Visa regime is being relaxed. Normal transit facility is also expected to be reality soon. Banking facility and mobile phone connectivity are on cards. Prime Minister’s proposed visit to Pakistan will boost the steps of normalisation of relations. As General Kayani said, peaceful coexistence and well-being of the people is important so both countries should resolve all the issues including Siachen.
AKSAI CHIN
Former army chief of India and Arunachal governor, General JJ Singh has said a day before India test-fired ICM Agni-5, range of which covers parts of China; that India should speedily resolve border dispute with Northern neighbour.
Inaugurating a national seminar in Itanagar on Indo-China relations, Gen Singh said: “The world has changed and we are a much more confident nation now. It is important to realise that we need a speedy resolution to the Indo-China boundary dispute and for that some give-and-take may be necessary.” “India will have to move away from our position that our territory is non-negotiable,” he said.
By “give-and-take” he may be hinting at India accepting some of the Chinese positions including Aksai Chin, and vice-versa. The nearly 4,057-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) has many disputed points. Beijing reportedly demands at least the Tawang tract. India has claims on Aksai Chin, bordering Siachen.
Fifty years after India and China fought a month-long war over Himalayan territories, hopes of a solution to the boundary dispute seem emerging. Gen Singh is the governor of the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh, the whole of which is claimed by China as its territory. So it is believed that Gen spoke after signal from New Delhi to test the waters. Both countries have frequently accused the other of border incursions, but Gen Singh said they occurred because both armies go by their own conflicting versions of the border.
“By and large, the McMahon Line will help resolve the boundary of the two countries but some incongruities apparent on the ground might have to be amicably resolved and there is no scope for conflict as we have agreed to resolve the issue peacefully,” the Arunachal Pradesh governor said.
[Email: syyedagha@hotmail.com]