During a press conference in Muzaffarabad on Oct. 18 Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf announced: “We will allow any amount of people coming from across LOC to meet their relatives and assist with the reconstruction effort.” The president also told the media the proposal “is being put across to New Delhi through you”. Musharraf added that “the modalities of this need to be worked out.” He reiterated Pakistan’s earlier position that the Indian military will not be allowed to come from across the LOC.
It was a proposal made in the context of the situation created by earthquake. However discussions on opening new points for the movement of Kashmiris across the LOC have been going on since last year. The latest Pakistani proposal was however different in many respects. For one, it was in response to the keenness of Kashmiris, especially in Indian Kashmir, to meet and help the calamity-stricken families and friends in Azad Kashmir.
Within hours of Gen. Musharraf’s statement New Delhi responded. Welcoming the offer, the Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman said “this is in line with India’s advocacy of greater movement across the LOC for relief and closer people-to-people contacts. .... India is willing to facilitate such movement but we await word from Pakistan about the practical detail of implementing this intention.”
On Oct. 19 Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson told an English daily that internal discussions were taking place and “we hope to contact the government of India shortly”. But on Oct. 20 the newly appointed chief of the Relief Commission Maj. Gen. Farooq Ahmed Khan said, “we regret that India had rejected the positive proposal of opening the LOC to facilitate meeting between the divided families.” According to media reports, he also stated that India had attached conditions to Musharraf’s proposal. The same day Pakistan’s foreign spokesperson Tasneem Aslam told The News: “We do not have any information of India turning down this proposal. I have no confirmation about this refusal.”
It appears there was confusion within Pakistani establishment about what to do with the LOC proposal. This is the only explanation for the failure to formally send the president’s proposal to New Delhi immediately, suggesting an urgent meeting to work out the modalities.
To compound the confusion, on Oct. 21 the relief commissioner again made an observation on the opening of LOC. This time he reportedly said that India should not wait for a formal proposal from Pakistan on opening the LOC. He said “long parleys on modalities to open the LOC means the window is closing .... Welcoming and putting it into a practical shape is something else”.
Clearly in the absence of any formal proposal from Pakistan, asking India to practically implement the LOC crossing is unrealistic. In the past India had sought the setting up of five meeting points along the LOC where Kashmiris could meet but not actually travel across into Azad or Indian Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the entire Kashmiri leadership including the APHC’s Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik and those engaged in Kashmir’s electoral politics like Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have called for the early opening of the LOC. Mirwaiz has asked for the opening of the seven road links between the divided Kashmir. This includes Kargil-Skardu, Uri-Muzaffarabad, Tangdar-Teetwal.
Obviously the opening up of the LOC involves many questions: Who would travel across the LOC? Would it just be Kashmiris wanting to meet families and friends or those keen to participate in relief and reconstruction work? Would private citizens in their individual capacity or organizations involved in relief work be allowed to cross the LOC? What about the Pakistani and Indian citizens? How soon would clearance for crossing the LOC be given to intended traveler from either side and what would be the duration of the stay?
These are not complicated issues. The profile of travelers from both sides of Kashmir using the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service should be acceptable for the proposed LOC crossing too. Decisions on these issues will also determine whether joint Kashmiri relief operations can be conducted or if Pakistan’s Information Minister Sheikh Rashid can cross the LOC with 25 truckloads of relief goods. Rashid says he wants to travel to the earthquake-hit Uri and other areas on the Indian side of Kashmir. Once the safe travel routes are identified, Pakistan should welcome travel by Kashmiris in their individual capacities to meet their dear ones in Azad Kashmir. Quick clearance mechanisms should be devised for Kashmiris on both sides of the border and their travel expedited. The relief commissioner fears that the time spent on working out the modalities will mean the “window is closing.” The window should not be allowed to close. Now is the time Kashmiris want to be with their own.
In these tragic times the opening of the LOC for hassle-free travel for Kashmiris would provide a healing touch. Solidarity in times of suffering can be a great balm. This solidarity will also, in the long run, facilitate the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
