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OPINION                                                                    MARCH 26, 2021  |      The Indian Eye                          18



         India-Pakistan loC Ceasefire Decision:



                                          a thaw In sIght?





             While there are optimists on both sides, many in Pakistan are questioning the Imran Khan
                                              government’s decision to agree to the ceasefire


        ZaInaB aKhter                                                                                                 on both sides, which may open
                                                                                                                      up possibilities of a restart of
              he decision by India and Pa-                                                                            trade and travel.
              kistan to ‘cease firing along                                                                              While there are optimists on
       T the Line of Control (LoC)                                                                                    both sides, many in Pakistan are
        and all other sectors’, with effect                                                                           questioning the Khan govern-
        from the midnight of February                                                                                 ment’s decision to agree to the
        25, 2021, is being seen as an im-                                                                             ceasefire.  Imran  Khan  himself
        portant thaw in the bilateral re-                                                                             has placed the onus on India to
        lationship that was at an all-time                                                                            keep the LoC peaceful. Some
        low. The decision came about                                                                                  analysts argue whether it is wise
        after talks between the Director                                                                              on the part of the government
        Generals of Military Operations                                                                               and the army to talk peace with
        (DGMO’s) of both countries.                                                                                   India, without resolution of the
        This  joint  statement  is  the  first   Paramilitary personnel arrive to take position after a group of terrorists at-  Kashmir issue. There are those
        such understanding between In-       tacked the CRPF Patrolling Party on a road at Lawaypora in Srinagar on Thurs-  who insist that India agreed to the
        dia and Pakistan in nearly two  day. One CRPF personnel made supreme sacrifice and three injured. (ANI)       ceasefire keeping its own self-in-
        decades, after the 2003 ceasefire                                                                             terest in mind, and was a tactic
        agreement.                           was the highest number of cease- received extensive support from  to possibly avoid a two-front war.
            In 2019, during the Indian  fire violations since 2003.              the SAARC members, except                Be that as it may, with the
        general elections, Pakistan Prime       However, from the start of  Pakistan.                                 ceasefire in effect, it will certainly
        Minister Imran Khan Niazi had  2021, Pakistan has exhibited signs            Even  as  the  ceasefire  agree- help India and Pakistan diffuse
        famously said that there was  of being open to measures to re- ment has been welcomed by an- tensions along the LoC. India on
        a “better chance of peace talks  duce tensions. Chief of Army  alysts, there was speculation that  its  part  has  affirmed  that  there
        with India”  if Prime  Minister  Staff (COAS) General Qamar  an exchange of views between  would not be any let-up in its
        Narendra Modi was voted back  Javed Bajwa, at the passing-out  National Security Advisor, Ajit  counter-terrorism  efforts. It is
        to power. PM Modi had earlier  ceremony of the Pakistan Air  Doval, and Special Assistant to  time perhaps to take additional,
        made a surprise stop over at La- Force (PAF) cadets on February 2,  the Pakistan PM, Moeed Yusuf  incremental steps, towards peace
        hore in 2015 to attend the wed- stated that it was “time to extend  had played a part in the develop- and reconciliation. These could
        ding of the grand-daughter of the  the hand of peace in all direc- ment. Yusuf, in a series of tweets  include re-starting cross-LoC
        then Prime Minister and PML-N  tions”. He added that India and  on  February  25,  rejected  this  trade and connectivity, which
        Chief, Nawaz Sharif.                 Pakistan should resolve the Kash- claim and stated that the deci- could  create  the  right  environ-
            While these were two bright  mir issue in a dignified manner. sion came about only as a result  ment for fruitful dialogue to re-
        spots, 2016 witnessed a down-           Pakistan also accepted the  of the talks between the two DG- solve outstanding issues between
        ward spiral in bilateral relations  invitation by India to attend the  MOs. Earlier in October 2020,  the two South Asian neighbours.
        with terror strikes at Pathankot  Health Secretary-level South  Yusuf had stated that India had                  Zainab Akhter is Research
        and Uri, followed by a surgical  Asian Association of Region- expressed an interest in dialogue.                Analyst – Pak Digest at Mano-
        strike by India in September  al Cooperation (SAARC) vir- This was denied by the Ministry                      har Parrikar Manohar Parrikar
        2016.  The  February  2019  Pul- tual         meeting-cum-workshop of External Affairs.                       Institute for Defence Studies and
        wama attack worsened the rela-       on February 18, 2021 to dis-            The ceasefire decision marks           Analyses, New Delhi.
        tions further. India retaliated by  cuss the ongoing Covid-19  the softening of stances on both               Views expressed are of the author
        launching aerial attacks on camp- crisis. This virtual meeting  sides, which has renewed hopes
        sites in Balakot on February 24. was addressed by PM Modi. of a new beginning. There are                       and do not necessarily reflect the
            Pakistan upped the ante             At the virtual conference of  talks of the revival of the SAARC        views of the Manohar Parrikar
        across the LoC and ceasefire vi- SAARC Heads of State held  Summit meeting, cancelled in                       IDSA or of the Government of
                                                                                                                                    India.
        olations escalated manifold. Re- earlier on March 15, 2020, PM  2016 when it was supposed to
        ports noted that the number of  Modi had proposed a regional  take place in Islamabad. Specu-                   This is the abridged version of
        violations in September 2019 was  Coronavirus Emergency Fund to  lations are rife that PM Modi will             the article which appeared first
        nearly three times that in the pre- mitigate the risks associated with  participate in it as and when Pa-       in the Comment section of the
        vious years for the same month.  the pandemic in the South Asian  kistan hosts the summit. There is            website (www.idsa.in) of Mano-
        In 2020, the number of ceasefire  region, with India pledging an  a hope that as a follow-up to the  har Parrikar Institute for Defense
        violations along the LoC were  initial contribution of US$10 mil- DGMO’s hotline talk, the High  Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
        over 5,000, with 46 fatalities. This  lion. At that time, the proposal  Commissioners will be reinstated             on March 12, 2021


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