The Hindu Business Line : Indo-Pak ties: A sliver of hope

It is ironic that much misery and suffering — caused by the October 8 earthquake in the Kashmir region — should also offer a totally unanticipated opportunity to reduce military tension between India and Pakistan. But even more hurting would be if the opportunity is allowed to pass unexploited.

THE RECENT earthquake which hit Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and which has probably taken more than 50,000 lives has, ironically, provided the subcontinent — and the world at large — with a totally unanticipated opportunity to reduce military tension between New Delhi and Islamabad.

That such scope should open up through so much human suffering and physical damage is a point which must be taken note of by the authorities on both sides of the border, the basic inference being that if the opportunity is allowed to pass untapped, another may not arise again in the foreseeable future.

Briefly, the earthquake has resulted in large-scale damage, which requires immediate relief and repair if a much larger human calamity is to be prevented in the cruel winter months ahead.

For this funds are required which, reports suggest, are in short supply.

Reports late last week quoted the chief UN relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, as saying that the world had not responded adequately to the UN's appeal for money to tackle the relief and repair efforts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In terms of figures, he said that of the $312 million sought by the world body, just $86 million has been pledged — "and even less money had been received in cash".

Signifying his frustration with the developing situation, he said he was asking NATO to step in with the aircraft (including helicopters) at its disposal to take relief supplies to the affected areas and also evacuate the sick and the injured who are almost certain to perish in the severe winter looming ahead.

That NATO, reportedly, does not have "enough light helicopters at hand" to meet the exigency is incidental to the argument here.

What is far more important is the fact that the request to NATO should be made at all when, just across the Line of Control, there is available a large fleet of helicopters and light aircraft which can make a world of difference to the scale of the relief effort on in the affected zone of death and destruction. Not surprisingly, every sensible and concerned person following the course of the relief operations will suggest that India need only pitch in with its transport and relief infrastructure for the human suffering to be lessened somewhat.

The fact, however, is that, as of now, this effective relief infrastructure has not been used because of reasons only Islamabad can throw light on, and that too when it has appealed to the international community for assistance.

Of course, the world knows why Pakistan has not yet taken a firm, settled stand on the subject of allowing Indian military aircraft to be used for the relief effort, specifically craft flown by military personnel. This is because of the firm belief in Pakistani military circles that, in the course of flying the relief sorties, the Indian military establishment would gain invaluable information on installations on the other side of the Line of Control, which would come in handy for the continued prosecution of New Delhi's military designs against Islamabad.

When two sides are at war and neither want peace, this clearly is a rational stand to take based purely on strategic and tactical considerations.

But, then, Islamabad has been shouting itself hoarse over the past few decades that the belligerent side in the India-Pakistan stand-off in Kashmir has always been India and that New Delhi has never grasped the numerous olive branches that have been extended to it from time to time to bring peace back to this corner of the subcontinent.

The question is: If this is true, why has Islamabad not clutched at this opportunity — and that too in the full glare of international media attention — to extend one more olive branch for the noble cause of mutual peace and friendship?

Indeed, why has Islamabad (till the time of writing) not communicated to New Delhi formally its proposal to open the LoC at specific points through which Kashmiris from both sides can pass in an effort to lessen the suffering in the wake of the earthquake?

After all, the proposal was made (indirectly) by the Pakistani President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, himself on October 18 while talking to reporters in Muzaffarabad, where he declared, "We will allow every Kashmiri to come across the Line of Control and assist in the reconstruction effort", adding, "If India agrees, we would like to work out the formalities".

It is to New Delhi's credit that, on the very same day, it responded almost with alacrity, the Ministry of External Affairs stating, "India is willing to facilitate such movements, but we await word from Pakistan about the practical details of implementing this intention".

In fact, if media reports are to be believed, matters have not been allowed to vegetate, for on Saturday (October 22), there were reports which said that the Indian Army had submitted to the Prime Minister concrete details of entry and exit points along the 740-km LoC, the Chief of Army Staff making it amply clear that the Army had made its firm recommendations and that, "Based on the response from the other side, we are ready to implement the directives of the Government".

How one hopes, in the interest of humanity, the Pakistani military establishment too could have come out with a stand comparable with that of its Indian counterpart.

By dragging its feet over the issue of provision of effective relief by the Indian authorities, Islamabad is telling the world in the loudest of terms that the powers that be in Pakistan (that is, the military) are far more concerned about focusing on military issues between the two countries instead of rushing in to alleviate the suffering of thousands of those affected by the October 8 earthquake.

It is of some significance that the civilian elements in Pakistani society are aware of this reprehensible choice and are gradually raising their voices against it.

Among others, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn has written (as reported): "In this gravest of emergencies we also need to ask ourselves whether we need to spend $3 billion on F-16s... It would be an act of sanity if this idea was given up and the saved money put at the service of the children of Kashmir".

Gen Musharraf has been adept at the game of brinksmanship ever since he assumed power in a coup which displaced the civilian Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif.

It seems so unlike him that he has not yet gone the whole hog after he made his announcement on the (as of now) theoretical opening up of the LoC.

Is he facing determined opposition from the Pakistani military establishment itself in persisting with his LoC initiative and, more important, does he feel that his position in the military establishment at this juncture is not as strong as it was earlier for him to brush aside the opposition and continue to play his own games?

These are questions which only time can answer, but for once the Americans seem to have got it right. The US Under-Secretary of State, Ms Christina Rocca, who is known to be not impartial towards Islamabad, has said: "This can be a significant moment for the relationship between India and Pakistan.

The real battle going on in Kashmir today, and for the foreseeable future, will be to save hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and overcome a natural disaster the likes of which this region has never experienced."

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