The Obama administration is trying hard through diplomatic channels to defuse the rising tensions between nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India and to ensure the continuation of Indo-Pak peace process, which it believes, if derails, would cause a serious setback to its efforts aimed at a safe and smooth exit from Afghanistan for which a deadline of 2014 has been set by Washington.
After the last month skirmishes on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir in which three Pakistani and two Indian soldiers were killed, the top military officials from both sides managed to defuse the tension to some extent and situation was brought under control for some days.
However, the killing of another Pakistani soldier, who crossed LoC, by the Indian Army, the tension is on rise once again, which has caused serious concerns in Washington as well.
According to reports, a Pakistani was killed after crossing into the Indian side despite that he inadvertently strayed across LoC
A media report said that some civilians had seen him being picked up and questioned by the Indian Army but that when the military commanders from both sides spoke by telephone on Friday, the Indian commander said the Pakistani soldier had been killed.
In a statement, the Pakistan Army said, “We condemn such an inhuman and brutal act of killing our soldier after he had identified himself and explained his position. We have returned Indian soldiers in the past who have similarly strayed.”
The diplomatic circles in Islamabad believe that the recent LoC tensions had brought the Indo-Pak peace process to a virtual standstill and mainly it was the Indian intransigence that was blocking any movement forward. India has also suspended the recently made vital deal on new visa regime between Islamabad and New Delhi.
“This deadlock between Islamabad and India is a matter of serious concern for the United States and other western nations, which believe that Pakistan has to play a vital role for the safe and smooth exit of US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan,” said a diplomatic source, seeking anonymity.
He said that the US and its allies knew well that in case there were tensions with India, it would not be possible for Pakistan to focus fully on its border with Afghanistan and hence the Obama administration was trying hard to defuse the Indo-Pak tensions and also to restart the virtually stalled peace process between the nuclear neighbours.
“The recent phone calls by the new US Secretary of State John Kerry to the Pakistani and Indian leaders were also in the context of diplomatic efforts for the de-escalation between Islamabad and New Delhi,” he said.
A Pakistani diplomat when contacted refused to comment on the US efforts for defusing tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi. However, he said that Pakistan was all willing to sort out the conflicting matters with India through dialogue.
“It is up to India to reciprocate to Pakistani efforts for peace, which continue despite that many of our soldiers have been killed in LoC firing,” he said, asking not to be named.
