SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association)
Both India and Pakistan spend more money on defence than could be justified keeping in view the level of poverty in South Asia. Both have fought bloody wars but after developing nuclear weapons and multiple delivery systems, they agree that war is not the way to resolve disputes. In spite of the realisation border clashes continue to take place. The present series is the deadliest since 2003 ceasefire pact.
Pakistan accuses India of violating ceasefire. It is claimed that the US visit went to the Indian PM’s head who gave a signal to the Border Security Force to teach Pakistan a lesson. The Indian side accuses Pakistan of using firepower to enable infiltrators to cross over to Indian controlled Kashmir.
The foremost to suffer from border clashes are the innocent peasants who live in thickly populated villages in close proximity of the working boundary. Some die, many more are injured. Besides human beings, the cattle which are a major source of livelihood for the village population, also perish. Thousands of villagers are forced to leave the area during the clashes. Interestingly neither side admits it has targeted civilian population.
Pakistan’s letter to UN Sec Gen amounted to flogging a dead horse. The inaction by the UN must not be a cause of glee to anyone. It has to be realised that any possibility of the situation turning ugly on the border between the two nuclear powered countries is bound to worry and at some stage bring in world powers. The day Indian President landed in Norway he was asked questions by media on Pak-India tensions and had to concede that Kashmir issue should be resolved through talks.
Hopefully the communication between the two DGMOs would bring the fighting to a halt. To ensure permanent peace, there is a need to resume Foreign Secretary level talks which should lead to some form of composite talks, aimed at resolving all issues one by one.
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