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A March 12 Indian Express article has provided interesting details about Pakistan’s expectations from the February 25 ceasefire and the country’s relationship with India going forward. Based on “authoritative sources in Pakistan who did not wish to be identified,” the newspaper has reported that Islamabad expects New Delhi to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood as a starting point for a dialogue.
“This, they said, would then facilitate ‘a conversation’ that would include ‘Kashmiri voices front and center’ on the way forward and open up space potentially for discussions on other bilateral issues,” the newspaper wrote. The report’s sources also noted that the ceasefire was “purely for tactical reasons” – given that the continuing cross-Line of Control firing was failing to make any material difference to the extant situation – and that to link it to a bigger “gland plan” was an erroneous conclusion.
K.C. Singh | Afghan trouble looming: Pak likely to make gains
Published Mar 11, 2021, 4:11 am IST
Updated Mar 11, 2021, 4:11 am IST
The Biden presidency has directly or indirectly impacted other South Asian developments too
Of concern to India is the United States pushing Afghanistan towards what the draft paper sent to all parties, including the Taliban, calls the Afghanistan Peace Agreement. (Photo: AP)
US President Joe Biden, within two months of taking charge, has moved with speed to implement his domestic and international agenda. His predecessor’s jibe dubbing him “Sleepy Joe” is proving totally wrong. Of concern to India is the United States pushing Afghanistan towards what the draft paper sent to all parties, including the Taliban, calls the “Afghanistan Peace Agreement”. Simultaneously, US secretary of state Anthony Blinken wrote to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and senior statesman Abdullah Abdullah, urging acceleration of the entire peace process.
India-Pak Announce Ceasefire: Hizbul, Others Are Clearly in Shock
There are far too many parties interested in ensuring that the ceasefire fails. Meanwhile, trust-but-verify holds.
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While speculation continues about the reasons for a ceasefire between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control, terrorist groups like the Hizbul Mujahideen, their two bit buddies, and their friends across the border, have all reacted with dismay at the ceasefire. As well they might.
Without the varied and certain assistance that they have taken for granted for years, they will find the going very hard indeed.
An end to that is far from certain, and as the Head of the vital Srinagar-based 15 Corps put it, the Army intends to put in place a solid counter infiltration grid, in a trust-but-verify mode. Outfits operating here are clearly in shock.
Watch | What Led to the Ceasefire on the LOC?
Happymon Jacob locates the February 2021 ceasefire announcement within the broader history of Indo-Pak ceasefire agreements.
Video03/Mar/2021
In this episode of National Security Conversations, Dr. Happymon Jacob unpacks the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. He sifts through the recent developments between the two countries to offer a comprehensive analysis of the events that led to the agreement.
He locates the February 2021 announcement within the broader history of Indo-Pak ceasefire agreements to explain its significance, identify similarities and highlight its crucial differences from past agreements.
Dr. Jacob discusses the prudence of rapprochement between the two countries and offers insights on the future course of action.
Express News Service
SRINAGAR: The Army said the India-Pakistan ceasefire would give it an opportunity to improve its capacity and capability to control and check infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. Jawans have been ordered to even stop practice firing in the ranges near the frontiers.
Before the initiation of border ceasefire on February 25, Indian and Pakistani troops used to exchange fire on a daily basis. At least four Indian soldiers were killed in the first two months of this year. As many as 5,133 ceasefire violations in 2020 were reported in which 24 security men and 22 civilians were killed.
General Officer Commanding (GoC) 15 Corps Lt Gen B S Raju termed the border ceasefire as a “positive step” and a conscious call by the two countries. “We will give border ceasefire the best shot and won’t be trigger happy. If there is an incident, we will raise the issue and talk to the other side.”