Bad for both Pakistan and India
At the flag meeting between the field commanders from India and Pakistan both sides agreed to defuse the LoC flare-ups. This would be termed as a positive development if the past experience was not there to make one cautious. Less than two weeks back the talks between the DG Rangers and DG BSF had also ended on an optimistic note with agreement on a constant endeavour to maintain peaceful and tranquil borders. Soon after the meeting, however, the two sides again resumed cross-border exchange of fire leading to several casualties. The question is whether peace and tranquility would return to the LoC and Working Boundary after the flag meeting and for how long?
Unless there is an understanding between the two countries on the political level, there is little likelihood of the guns falling silent on the borders. What is more, as Sartaj Aziz put it, uncontrolled cross-border firing could lead to further deterioration in relations. India continues to accuse Pakistan of indulging in cross-border incidents to induct infiltrators in Kashmir. Pakistan, on its turn, blames India for unprovoked firing. After India imposed preconditions for talks between the NSAs, Islamabad decided to take the evidence against Indian sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan to the UN. The confrontation at the international forum is likely to strengthen the prevailing standoff. This has worried the powers that want peace in South Asia but India’s refusal to allow any third country or international body to mediate has discouraged them from going beyond expressing hopes for the improvement of relations between the two countries.
Both Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi would be in New York this week. Reportedly both would be staying in the same hotel. As things stand there are no signs of their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Unless the two sides come up with an out of the box idea to break the prevailing impasse, relations between the two are going to further deteriorate which is bad for both India and Pakistan.
