CBM?s Indo-Pak Peace Process

Will a bus running across the borders bring cordial relations between the two south asian nuclear rivals India and Pakistan? Well this is a question that will look for its answer on it own and time can only find its answer.

The first bus from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad was flagged off in the an auspicious ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA president Sonia Gandhi. The April 7 trip to Muzaffarabad involves thirty passengers in a two 15 seater buses. Among the VIP travelers were People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah and state CPI-M secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

Sonia Gandhi also unveiled a "peace wall" in Uri which is dedicated to the Indo-Pakistani friendship, looking forward to further work on building the relationship by introducing more Confidence building measures.(CBM's).

The bus was rightly named as the Karwan-e-Aman (The Caravan of Peace) as it took a message between the two Kashmirs divided by destiny. The whole idea behind this bus service is to increase people to people contact between families living across the borders who had to sacrifice their beloved ones to the heartless borders marked by the two nations.

However it's has to be watched and seen as to how much the two governments are successful in making this possible. Besides diplomatic promises of uniting the divided families things has to move in a transparent manner in the grassroots level when it comes to getting clearance for the journey and in other documentation matters concerning the journey. This is where the central and the state government have to play their role.

A process well started is like half done proves wrong here as this process is hypersensitive in nature and concerns the sentiments of scores of divided families suppressed for decades under territorial demarcations. It's a commendable fact that the government has a taken a positive step forward in the betterment of Indo-Pak relations.

The two countries decided to implement another CBM by opening the rail link between Munnabao in Rajasthan and Khokhrapar in Sind near Karachi in December. There is also a proposal to extend the Munnabao-Khokhrapur train service up to Karachi The rail link will benefit thousands of families, living near Karachi, who had migrated from India, mainly from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Delhi during Partition. The two countries have agreed upon plying trucks across the Line of Control in Kashmir. This move is going to be of immense help for Kashmiri apple growers in finding new markets in areas around Rawalpindi in turn boosting Kashmir's economy.

On April 22, 2005 during the Asian African summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told press reporters the following "I really believe that if this process is allowed to go forward, it will create a climate conducive to the final settlement," The prime minister also added that it was not possible to put a time frame for resolving the problem. "I really don''t know today. It is a process. I can't lay down a timetable, where will it lead us or when will it". "But I am convinced this is the way of looking at the problem which creates a situation where there are no losers, no winners.

"They only gainers are the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the prospects of reconciliation between the people of India and the people of Pakistan" To conclude I would like to say that it is time to take advantage of the conducive atmosphere and take the process ahead and come up with more confidence building measures and introduce more trade links and introduce measures that will mutually benefit the two nations.

To read similar articles please visit http://www.himalayanaffairs.org

Lalith Ninan
A freelance journalist

---

Bringing Back Mining Jobs to the United States

With new environmental technologies and modern efficiency methods in mining... Read More

Carl von Clausewitz On War

For anyone who wishes to become an armchair General in... Read More

The Dragons

I hope to provide a starting point for the serious... Read More

Is Inflation Harmful

Q. Should the Government be concerned if the CPI rises... Read More

An ROI on National Security

Do you find it interesting that people complain about the... Read More

Transporting Troops in the Future

Currently when we transport troops we use large cargo planes... Read More

The U.S. Department of Justice vs. the Realty Industry, and Its Effect on Consumers

From the National Association of Realtors' Virtual Office Website policy,... Read More

Dismal Performance of the NSA

The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More

Democracy, War and the Media - Uneasy Bedfellows All Round

Recent international wars and the often spectacular ways in which... Read More

The Options For Regime Change In Iran

If recent speeches by US officials on Iran's plans to... Read More

WiMax Election Strategy

So you are ready to run for public office are... Read More

To Grow Out Of Unemployment

There is a connection between economic growth and unemployment. There... Read More

Thoughts Born of Tragedy ...

..."history may judge us to be the real bully if,... Read More

How Can We Elect Good Leaders?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Men desire power. Give power to... Read More

TABOR: The Growing Taxpayer Bill of Rights Movement and Economic Incentives for Industry

A governing.com report blast one of the major grassroots initiatives... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Franchising Website Needs Updating

Many times our government regulatory over embellish problems in the... Read More

Reelect President Bush for the 2nd term: Evidence & Proofs

Why President Bush should have his second term? The arguments... Read More

FTC Franchise Rule Making Sound and Fury in the Sand Box of Free Markets

Today we have a new franchise report from the Federal... Read More

Making Peace with Our Ancestors and Neighbors

As a result of the conflict analysis exercise and a... Read More

Osama bin Laden Needs a Pay Raise

Osama bin Laden probably needs to get a pay raise,... Read More

Feeling Squeezed by Political Correctness

I'm starting to feel squeezed by all the political correctness... Read More

Oil Prices Effect The United States Competitiveness

Just because we have been leading the World in innovation... Read More

Alternative to Land Mines in Middle East

With the recent threats from Bin Laden and Al Queda... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Partnerships Questioned

In many reports we see that the Federal Trade Commission... Read More

Patriots and Parrots: Imprisoning Tongues in America

It can be dangerous to engage in free speech. This... Read More

Environmentalism and Roads in Our Forests

Many environmentalists are against roads through the forest because it... Read More

Enlightenment Experiments

Pierre Dupont de Nemours:After arranging the Armistice that ended or... Read More

US Government Sore Losers in Not So Neighborly Dispute

I'm getting a little tired of being lectured by that... Read More

NAFTA; What did we learn?

A quick look back at NAFTA; how did we do?Stabilizing... Read More

The Glorious Acts of Our Legislature

I always have to remember to take a deep breath... Read More

Arson Neighborhood Mobile Watch Program for Summer Fire Season

Due to the bizarre weather patterns this winter California got... Read More

Self Destruct Strategies in UAV Construction

All UAVs Need a Self Destruct BLOS DeviceWhat do you... Read More

Protecting Children From Porn

There's a new Michigan state register in the works... Read More