Pakistan and India have recently agreed to increase frequency of trade and bus service across the Line of Control. The two countries also decided to open bank branches on both sides of the LoC to do away with barter system of trade, increase fixed telephone lines for communication link between two parts of Kashmir and introduce trade permits for businessmen to facilitate their travel across the LoC. Both the nations have directed the officials engaged in the cross-LoC trade to raise necessary infrastructure and increase other facilities for enhancing the trade.
There is no denying the fact that these are good steps to bring the two neighbors closer to each other but the dream of ensuring durable peace between them is not possible without permanently resolving the Kashmir dispute, which is the bone of contention between them. The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has rightly said that these were half-hearted and cosmetic measures. He said, no matter how far both the countries go in improving the economic ties but the fact remains that until and unless the core issue of Kashmir is addressed, the tension between them will prevail.
It is beyond any doubt that the road to peace and stability in South Asia passes through Jammu and Kashmir and as long as this issue is not settled this objective could not be achieved. Announcement of CBMs is a good sign but the truth is that such steps could prove fruitful only when both the countries discuss the Kashmir dispute on priority basis and make serious efforts for its settlement on durable basis and most importantly in accordance with the Kashmiris' aspirations.
Unfortunately, despite such CBMs the ground situation in occupied Kashmir remains unchanged and the people of the territory continue to face the worst form of Indian state terrorism. Trigger-happy Indian police personnel and troops under the protection of draconian laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Disturbed Areas Act and Public Safety Act, keep on committing gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity in the occupied territory with impunity.
Pakistan has always strived for a peaceful resolution of the lingering dispute but its efforts could not bear fruit just because of constant intransigent approach of India, as it never demonstrated seriousness and sincerity to reciprocate in a positive manner. It always engaged itself in negotiations just for the sake of negotiations and wasted no time to derail the dialogue process on one pretext or the other.
It is a reality that the two countries have failed to reach an agreement on Kashmir bilaterally resulting in the continuation of the miseries of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This failure calls for involvement of the genuine leadership of the Kashmiris in the dialogue process to make it meaningful and result-oriented.
The deplorable aspect of the matter is that the international community has turned a blind eye to the suffering of the Kashmiri people. Even the august body like United Nations has not made serious efforts to implement its own resolutions passed decades ago promising the right to self-determination to the Kashmiris.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir with little, rather zero, expectations from the world community have been carrying on their liberation struggle at their own for the past over sixty-four years and in the due course of time lacs of them have laid down their lives for the cause, thousands have been subjected to disappearance in custody and hundreds other have been put behind the bars. But all these tactics have failed to subdue their resolve to get freedom from Indian bondage.
Following all these bare facts, settlement of the Kashmir dispute is imperative not only for establishing cordial relations between Pakistan and India but also for establishing permanent peace in the South Asian region. It is understood that with the resolution of this long-pending dispute all minor issues between the two nations will vanish automatically.
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