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Journalism of Courage
The Indo-Pak quake diplomacy that froze amidst the recent terrorist violence showed signs of life today as the Indian and Pak foreign offices unveiled a delicate play on the ideas of ‘‘demilitarisation’’ and ‘‘self-governance’’ across the dividing line in Jammu and Kashmir.
When officially offered, Pakistan’s informal suggestion on ‘‘self-governance’’ for both parts of J&K would mark an important political shift. All these years, Pakistan has insisted that the nearly six-decade-old dispute is not about territory, but ‘‘self-determination’’ for the people of J&K.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad confirmed that Pak PM Shaukat Aziz had put across these ideas to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the margins of the Saarc summit. The Indian Foreign Office did not deny that some of these ideas had come up but insisted there were no formal proposals that required an official response.
As the new Pak ideas come along with growing levels of violence—brutal bombings in Delhi last month and a series of terrorist attacks in J&K last week—Delhi is bound to be extra careful in its response.
But Pakistan’s new emphasis on ‘‘self-governance’’ as opposed to the past focus ‘‘self-determination’’ for Kashmiris could help reduce the political distance that needs to bridged with India, which is willing to offer ‘‘maximum possible autonomy’’ to J&K.
The other proposal on ‘‘demilitarisation’’, too could help open a serious discussion. India has in recent months signaled it is not averse to ‘‘troop reductions’’ in J&K if cross-border infiltration and violence come to a stop.
