Fifty-six years after the ceasefire line was drawn between the Indian and Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the underlying seismic fault lines have made a mockery of this line. This map delineation, which was renamed as Line of Control after the 1971 Indo Pak war, has gone out of control, at least temporarily, by the fury of the nature when the earthquake struck this area on 8 October.
Thousands have perished on either side, including hundreds of soldiers who were guarding the Line. The remoteness and inaccessibility of the area, where most people live not in towns and villages but have houses scattered all over the mountains near any flat piece of land, is making rescue and relief difficult. The inclement weather and the prevailing tension on account of years of hostility along the Line and the continuing trans border terrorism are adding to these difficulties.
Despite its own trauma-nearly 70 soldiers are reported to have been killed till now- and steep odds, the Army is working round the clock in the rescue and relief work. With or without equipment, it is determinedly reaching the affected villages and scattered houses to provide succor and aid. Its high sense of discipline and fortitude in trying circumstances is evident once again. The media reports are currently depicting it as the only image of hope and faith for the locals.
Despite the tragedy and devastation caused by the natural disaster, there is no let up in the terrorists' violence or cross border infiltration. On 10 October, terrorists brutally killed 12 men belonging to minority community in Rajauri district. On 11 October, Army personnel killed eight terrorists in yet another attempt at infiltration across the Line of Control in the Nowgam sector, not far from quake hit areas. Those of us who have operated in the counter terrorist operations in these areas are well aware that the terrorists cannot infiltrate into Indian territory without some support from Pak ISI or its Army.
Under these circumstances, can this tragedy be turned into an opportunity to further soften the line of control and improve the Indo Pak relations?
Already, keeping humanitarian considerations above everything else, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already extended a helping hand to Pakistan, which has been affected more by this calamity. The External Affairs ministries and Director Generals of Military Operations of both nations have also touched base on this issue. Pakistan has accepted the relief offer but without shedding the 'sensitivities involved'. I am not surprised. May be we would have done the same! There is a ground rule of engagement with foreign countries in national security policies, which states, "You can have sentiments for people of other country but you cannot look at the other country sentimentally."
Pakistan has already received an Indian Air Force plane load with relief material. One more is being loaded with medicines and other material sought by Islamabad. I believe, this kind of help to each other, started not now but at the time of the Gujarat earthquake, would be able to carry on without 'sensitivities'. This should continue.
Along the Line of Control, there has been at least one instance where a lost Indian Army jawan was promptly returned. There may be more such examples of helping each other at local level when the posts are cut off and there is no communication to the rear. The Army rescue helicopters on both sides are already flying perilously close to the Line of Control, overlooking the laid down flying restrictions during normal times, to carry out rescue and relief missions. There are certain Pakistani areas that are more easily accessible from the Indian side. I am sure, if ordered, our military would be prepared to provide relief support to these areas across the Line of Control. But the prospects of an institutionalised joint Indo Pak relief operation, as being suggested by many in the media, would have few takers on the Pakistani side.
What are the ground difficulties? Firstly, there are the problems of telephone communications, tracks, fencing, minefields, and most importantly of mutual suspicions in carrying out such joint relief operations. Those guarding the Line of Control are soldiers, not diplomats. So long as terrorists' violence and cross border infiltration is going on, the suspicions are likely to continue. Soldiers on both sides would not like the other side to know of minefield gaps or even to see each other's defences closely. Secondly, there would be the security problem of our troops in areas where terrorist groups have their training camps and launch pads. Even the helicopters would have to carry guides from the other side as surety and to ensure that they do not wander off to 'restricted locations'.
There would be other Pak 'sensitivities'. Pakistan Army cannot accept being perceived as unable to look after its nation or its people, particularly where India is concerned. It is part of their psyche. There is also the problem of their credibility with terrorist outfits like United Jehad Council in Pak Occupied Kashmir who look up to the Pak ISI and Army for guidance and support.
I have my doubts if Pakistan would allow India's offer to send helicopters or troops for relief assistance in the Pak Occupied Kashmir. I believe that while extending a helping hand to Pakistan under these tragic circumstances, there is no need to overplay this issue.
Meanwhile, there is a need to focus attention on the people on our side of the Line of Control. One of my complaints has always been that India Inc. has failed to 'integrate' its border states with the rest of the nation. This is now been echoed by Kashmiri leaders like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq when they say, "People have not responded to this great tragedy. This was not expected. When Latur and Bhuj were ravaged, big industrialists stepped forward to help. But no one seems to be coming to our aid." This is an opportunity to correct such wrong perceptions.
We need to rush shelters, blankets, warm clothing, medicines, and food to the people living close to the Line of Control. The state government and the security forces should relax restrictions on the transport carrying relief aid and if necessary escort them to the nearest road heads. The collection and distribution mechanism for the relief supplies would need to be jointly established for this purpose.
This earthquake is a tragedy not only for people of Jammu and Kashmir but for the whole nation, like the earthquake in Gujarat in 2001 and the tsunami in South India last year. It is a national tragedy.
I hope the NGOs and industrialists are listening!
The author is a former Chief of the Army Staff. He is currently President, Institute of Security Studies, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi.
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