Passage between Kashmirs

Because movement along the line of control (LOC) separating the two sides of Kashmir was so difficult and restricted that it only escalated enmities and hostilities among the people. It also created separated families whose members longed for reunion with their near and dear ones. Relatives gathering on either side of the divide to exchange greetings and catch a glimpse of friends and families was a remarkable spectacle. In other words, the LOC which is like the de facto border in the region has gained a rather symbolic acceptance through this new development. The bus-link carries significance for not just two Kashmirs, but also for both India and Pakistan.

Such confidence-building measures between the two governments have laid a bridge for people-to-people relationship in what was supposed to be a disputed territory. We commend the Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khursheed Kasuri for having taken this landmark decision. We can see small olive branch being put across by both sides in the midst of many contentious issues that still need to be discussed and solved. There might be some reservations that the real basic dispute is yet to be addressed but at least this is a start. And it definitely augurs well for the now-hot, now-cold relations between the two neighbours.

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