India needs to re-engage with Pakistan and end the ceasefire violations along the border
The shelling and the retaliations along the Line of Control with Pakistan
are a matter of consternation, because it has been allowed to go on so
long as to become an everyday occurrence. The unfortunate death of Sepoy
Lungabui Abonmli, and the airlifting of two other soldiers,
Lienkhothien Senghon and Sepoy Tangsoik Kwianiungar, to the Command
Hospital in Udhampur because of injuries due to shelling in Poonch
sector are the latest grim reminders of this phenomenon. Sepoy Abonmli
is the third soldier to succumb to shelling in this area. All of May the
Pir Panjal range, which fronts the Kashmir Valley, has seen mortar and
small arms firing. On Saturday, splinter injuries from shelling in Haji Pir in Uri,
claimed the life of Akhtar Begum, a civilian. This has been a worrying
trend, as when the shells reach deeper they fall in residential areas,
in villages such as Churunda and Silikote. When shells begin raining,
villagers panic, leave their homes and run further, to temporary
shelters. This additional disruption to life in the aftermath of the
dilution of Article 370 last August and the COVID-19 lockdown, is
something that should be addressed with urgency. Shelling should not be
allowed to be a regular occurrence. Ceasefire with Pakistan along the
Line of Control is obviously not working, and the government needs to
build bomb shelters for civilians until normalcy returns.
Unfortunately,
aspects of relations with Pakistan in other spheres are in poor repair
as well. The two personnel from the Indian mission in Islamabad going
suddenly missing for a while points to further breakdown in relations.
It makes evident that India and Pakistan are unable even to adhere to
reciprocal protocols regarding staff posted in the missions. Whether or
not it is a tit-for-tat reaction for India having expelled two Pakistan
High Commission officials, Abid Hussain Amid and Mohd Tahir Khan, on
charges of espionage, India must take steps to ensure its diplomatic
personnel are spared such harassment, which is always present and
episodically on show. But with New Delhi studiously avoiding any serious
engagement, is the staffing in Pakistan commensurate with the vastly
shrunk bilateral relations? As the pandemic rages, with travel curbs and
reduced face-to-face opportunities, it might be prudent to temporarily
maintain only essential mission staff in Pakistan till India is able to
obtain trust and stability in the ties.
0 Comments