Jammu and Kashmir’s Monthly Magazine RNI : JKENG/2007/26070

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ISSN 0974-5653
Jammu and Kashmir’s Monthly Magazine
Epilogue Telling

Epilogue
because there is more to know The J&K Stories
Jammu, November 1, 2009 / Vol 3 / Issue 11 || Price Rs. 30 || Postal Registration No. JK-350/2009-11 || www.epilogue.in

BRIDGING
Divides
Via Talks & Trade
Special on First Anniversary of
Cross-LoC Trade
because there is more to know
An Analysis of Joint Chamber
--------------

November 1, 2009
New Delhi's Fresh Peace Initiatives
---------------
Perspectives on Harnessing Indus Waters

INTERVIEW : NYLA ALI KHAN RESEARCH :

Vol 3 / Issue 11 || Price Rs. 30 ||
Author of Islam Women &
Violence in Kashmir
Socio-Cultural and Economic
Changes Among Muslim Rajputs
www.epilogue.in

9 IN FOCUS
Bridging Divides

A Window of Opportunity

B.G. VERGHESE

There is a window of opportunity opening in J&K that must not be missed once again. This follows the
Union Home Minister's statement that the Government intends to open and persevere with quiet talks with
all sections of J&K opinion, including those outside the mainstream like the Hurriyat and . None can claim a
veto or set conditionalities. Spoilers will be exposed.
The first and more important part of a J&K
settlement is an internal resolution on matters
of human rights, disappearances, displacement,
autonomy, livelihoods and development
generally. This must include bridging regional
divides. Pakistan can have no role in this and
must, rather, put right its own house in order in
that part of J&K under its control which lacks the
autonomy and freedom enjoyed on this side.
The other part pertains to an external
settlement with Pakistan which can now
realistically only be along the LOC on the basis of
making boundaries irrelevant (with no
derogation to sovereignty on either side) as
basically agreed in principle. This means halting
the trans-border infiltration and mindless
violence that Pakistan has wantonly indulged in,
extending jihadi terrorism far afield to other
parts of India, of which 26 /11 was a horrendous
example. There are no true non-state actors as
the jihadi organizations and Taliban have all
been trained and sponsored by Pakistan and
cannot masquerade under new names. To say
that Pakistan is itself a victim of terrorism means
little as it is the monster Pakistan has long bred,
and even now patronises in part, that has turned
on it.
No one either in J&K or Pakistan can plead
for more time to formulate their views. Nor can
it be argued that “Kashmiris” must meet to
EXCLUSIVE TO decide on a common position before the internal
already discussed in recent years? Cross-border
relations in turn will unfold and evolve over time.
One urgent new issue is climate change that
will hit J&K and the entire Indus basin. This will
respect no boundaries and offers both a
challenge and an opportunity. The Indus Treaty
has worked fairly well. Both sides now need to
avail of Article 7 of the Treaty on “Future
Cooperation” to move towards joint investigation,
development and management of the three
Western rivers allocated to Pakistan (in which
the Indian part of J&K has a modest share) but
whose upper basins are controlled by India. This
alone will permit the optimal development and
utilization of the full potential of the Indus basin
for the mutual benefit not only of all the people
of J&K but also of India and Pakistan.
Together with this, the Siachen issue can
easily be settled by acknowledging the specific
and unambiguous 1949 Karachi Agreement
delineation of the LOC beyond the last
demarcated point at grid reference NJ 9842 and
“thence north to the glaciers”, without leaving
any part as no-man's land as stipulated. Once
this is done, the triangular area from NJ 9842
running NE to the Karakoram Pass and NW to K2
could be declared a Peace Zone and a scientific
park for joint Indo-Pakistan glaciological,
hydrological and meteorological studies, with
international collaboration, in order to monitor
and respond to climate change on the basis of

Epilogue dialogue commences. What will they discuss

that they could not discuss earlier or have
real time data.
This is the way forward.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 3, Issue 11 Epilogue, November 2009