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| November 2009 Issue |
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Kayani Holds the Key
Peace with Pakistan can only be achieved through its army
By Pravin Sawhney |
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has deftly initiated two moves, one each at the strategic and operational level during his recent visit to Kashmir. Singh has offered simultaneous talks with Pakistan and the Valley separatists without pre-conditions, and by addressing the Paramilitary and police forces (CRPF, BSF and J&K police), he has signalled that the army will become more invisible in the state. To demonstrate purposefulness, one division (12,000 troops) of the Indian Army is reportedly de-inducting from the Jammu corps. These are bold, clever and welcome moves. Analysts are praising the timing of the offer to Pakistan; US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton is in Pakistan to underscore Washington’s determination to build the trust-deficit and Islamabad would not have lost the opportunity of asking her to press New Delhi to re-start the Composite Dialogue. Back home in the Valley, the moderate Separatists are wondering if they should align with the state political parties in welcoming Singh’s offer. Scepticism in Islamabad and the Separatists’ camps can only be dispelled if New Delhi adopts the correct mechanism of talks with Islamabad, and moves fast to engage with the Separatists.
Once the PPP government came to power, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari turned his discredited predecessor’s India policy on its head. He spoke about a broad constructive bilateral engagement with India pivoted around trade and not the traditional Kashmir issue.
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| [Full Column]
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