India links Siachen demilitarisation to progress on Mumbai attacks

[ajtr]

India links Siachen demilitarisation to progress on Mumbai attacks​

By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough, India has agreed to demilitarise the Siachen Glacier and resolve the Sir Creek issue provided ‘reasonable’ progress is made on the Bombay attacks.

The Siachen Glacier is the second longest glacier of the planet that regulates the climate in the region and is also the water tank for both Pakistan and India. India showed its willingness during the three-day dialogue with Pakistan held in Dubai under Track-II diplomacy on December 3-6. Noted international experts also attended the meeting.

India acknowledged that its troops’ presence on the Siachen Glacier played a major role in its fast melting, putting the agrarian economy of Pakistan at stake. Experts of both sides will send to their respective governments their recommendations on demilitarising the Siachen Glacier and for joint watershed management in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to reinstate the degraded environment for sustainable flow in rivers that also include Jhelum and Chenab Rivers, for the initiation of an official dialogue to develop a framework for the implementation of the proposed measures. Former chief secretary Ashok Jaitley, General Ashok Mehta and Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal represented India at the talks while General Hamid Khan, Ayesha Siddiqa, General Moin Uddin Haider, former foreign secretary Tanvir Ahmad Khan, Rahimullah Yusufzai, Arshad H Abbasi represented Pakistan. Sectray Saarc Muhammad Iqbal Tabish also participated in the talks.

The News had highlighted on November 26 and 29 that the Siachen Glacier could disappear in future, as major cracks, streams, lakes and even rivers had appeared in the glacier mainly because of the ‘human intervention’ much before the Cancun climate conference that was currently held in Mexico.

Although, Pakistan’s delegation that attended the Cancun moot on climate failed to highlight the issue of the fast melting Siachen Glacier, but during the dialogue under Track-II diplomacy, experts from Pakistan succeeded in highlighting the issue and prevailed with arguments due to which Indian water experts, intelligentsia and the international community acknowledged the fact that the cause of these cracks was not global warming; rather it was the presence of the Indian Army on the Siachen Glacier since 1984. The glacier is melting at an unprecedented rate and this has already been reported. The melting has been attributed to the deployment of troops and establishment of permanent cantonments.

Both sides in the Dubai talks also developed an agreement that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for all trans-boundary hydropower development projects should be carried out. This is allowed under the provisions of Annexure ‘D’ and should be conducted before physical execution of projects and India ought to send all the EIA reports to Pal-EPA for comments, reservation and mitigation measures, if any.

India has also agreed for joint watershed management in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to reinstate degraded environment for sustainable flow in rivers that also include Jhelum and Chenab Rivers. Reports have appeared in the Pakistani media that water flows in these rivers has decreased manifold. Both these rivers play a pivotal role in irrigating the province of Punjab, the food basket of the country.

When contacted, General (retd) Hamid Khan, who participated in the Dubai dialogue, confirmed that India had agreed to demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier and resolution of Sir Creek but linked it with progress on the Mumbai attacks. The Indian side has agreed to submit its recommendations on demilitarisation of Siachen to its government. This is really a positive development.

According to water expert Arshad H Abbasi, who also participated in the Dubai talks, the watershed of the two rivers in Kashmir has been destroyed because of the massive cutting of trees by the Indian troops to apprehend the freedom fighters. Now India has agreed to jointly develop and monitor the watershed of the said rivers in held Kashmir.

The joint statement issued after the Dubai dialogue, a copy of which is exclusively available with this scribe, says: “It is a matter of immense satisfaction that Indian water experts, intelligentsia and international community have acknowledged and endorsed the following steps of cooperation between the two nations under the domain of Real Time Water Monitoring Quality and Quantity: i) To preserve Siachen and other Himalayan glaciers, it is the only effective strategy to declare protected areas and immediate demilitarisation from Siachen should be done immediately to save the second longest glacier of planet; ii) An EIA for all trans-boundary hydropower development projects should be carried out. This is allowed under the provisions of Annexure ‘D’ of treaty and should be conducted before physical execution of projects and India ought to send all EIA reports to Pal-EPA for comments, reservation and mitigation measures if any; iii) Independent Indus Water Commission (IWC) must be reinforced with experts of international independent agencies such as UNEP, World Bank and working of new IWC should be benchmarked with organisations dealing in similar nature of task such as Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Mekong Rivers Commission, International Commission for the Protection of the Danube; iv) Joint Watershed in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to reinstate degraded environment for sustainable flow in rivers.

“The aforementioned points were deliberated upon and there was a unanimous agreement on them. This has to be sent to respective governments for the initiation of an official dialogue to develop a framework for the implementation of the proposed measures. This is the only way to consolidate the linkage between the two countries, with respect to trans-boundary dialogues.”

 

[ajtr]

"Aaj Siachin...Kal Kashmir.....Inshallah".Just in a matter of 2 years of time.

 

[GUNNER]

It is a positive development indeed but remember this is Track Two. There is no development unless the two governments put their heads together and formally endorse these negotiations. Siachen should be demilitarised for the benefit of both countries.This should ve happened long time ago; there was an agreement during late 80's or 90's, and BBC ran a story that both governments have agreed to pull back troops. It was considered a major breakthrough but for some reasons Indian foreign affairs ministry denied it.

 

[Marauder]

Now everybody knows Mumbai attackers will not be brought to justice by Pak, similarly Siachen can never be de-militarized

It's only fodder for blunt brains.

 

[ajtr]

It is a positive development indeed but remember this is Track Two. There is no development unless the two governments put their heads together and formally endorse these negotiations. Siachen should be demilitarised for the benefit of both countries.This should ve happened long time ago; there was an agreement during late 80's or 90's, and BBC ran a story that both governments have agreed to pull back troops. It was considered a major breakthrough but for some reasons Indian foreign affairs ministry denied it.

Every time it starts from track two even vajpayee-musharaff-manmohan singh thaw started with track two only when they almost reached agreement around 2007-08 and then musharraf was removed from power.Actually this news is more concerned with Indus water treaty dispute.it must go in that thread too.

 

[Vasily Zaytsev]

Don't worry .

Its another part of the "Fakeleaks".


India will not demilitarize siachin or any part of Loc.

 

[Markus]

"Aaj Siachin...Kal Kashmir.....Inshallah".Just in a matter of 2 years of time.

Post reported.

Pushing forward Pakistani line but using Indian flags will result in counter attack by Indian members and will derail the thread.

Your viewpoint is appreciated and will look even more better with non-Indian flags.

 

[shuntmaster]

"Aaj Siachin...Kal Kashmir.....Inshallah".Just in a matter of 2 years of time.

Pls explain this..
Aaj siachen mai kya hua??
India will not agree to withdraw from the glacier until Pakistan agrees to marking the ground positions. Pakistans reluctance to this shows its intentions are not good. We do not want another kargil like situation in Siachen.

 

[anoop]

Every time it starts from track two even vajpayee-musharaff-manmohan singh thaw started with track two only when they almost reached agreement around 2007-08 and then musharraf was removed from power.Actually this news is more concerned with Indus water treaty dispute.it must go in that thread too.

although off-topic
when was musharaff removed form power ? it was nawaz shariff if remember correctly who was removed form power/ even about mushraff he resign form power after facing facing huge pressure and no support form army.

and for kashmir it would remain with india

would mumbai attackers be brought to justice as accordingly what GoI IS DEMANDING i donot think its going to happen.

deal in siachien is always therE once everybody rectifies each other poisiton as demanded by IA which is not presently acceptable to GoP

AND ARE U ONE FORM HYDERBAD (INDIA) WHO WAS LEFT FORM IDF AFTER continouslly poisting anti-pak news on it and then after reaching good poistion started poisting anti-india news

@mods hope i am not breaking any rule here if yes then pm me

 

[ajtr]

Pls explain this..
Aaj siachen mai kya hua??
India will not agree to withdraw from the glacier until Pakistan agrees to marking the ground positions. Pakistans reluctance to this shows its intentions are not good. We do not want another kargil like situation in Siachen.

Ok.If you look objectively,India and pakistan as early as 2006-07 reached on negotiations on kashmir.And siachin demilitarization was being touted as the confidence building measure at that time.But series of incidents like indian COAS stood against it,then Musharraf got out of power and 26 /11 happened.i think wat is happening now that both govt. are picking up same threads and negotiating siachin and kashmir demilitarization.which was the central idea of Musharaff's Neelam Plan for kashmir solution.on which both govts. had almost agreed and were on verge of signing the accord.

 

[shuntmaster]

Ok.If you look objectively,India and pakistan as early as 2006-07 reached on negotiations on kashmir.And siachin demilitarization was being touted as the confidence building measure at that time.But series of incidents like indian COAS stood against it,then Musharraf got out of power and 26 /11 happened.i think wat is happening now that both govt. are picking up same threads and negotiating siachin and kashmir demilitarization.which was the central idea of Musharaff's Neelam Plan for kashmir solution.on which both govts. had almost agreed and were on verge of signing the accord.

Thats not entirely true, that Indian army was against demilitarization of Siachen. The agreement fell through because Pakistan was not ready to demark the held ground position. India cannot take the risk of withdrawing from undemarkated glacier which could be occupied by Pakistan. Until both parties move from their stated positions, there is no chance of any demilitarization of Siachen in the near future. Until now I have not seen any news about any of the parties making a compromise on their declared positions.

 

[Bang Galore]

Ok.If you look objectively,India and pakistan as early as 2006-07 reached on negotiations on kashmir.And siachin demilitarization was being touted as the confidence building measure at that time.But series of incidents like indian COAS stood against it,then Musharraf got out of power and 26 /11 happened.i think wat is happening now that both govt. are picking up same threads and negotiating siachin and kashmir demilitarization.which was the central idea of Musharaff's Neelam Plan for kashmir solution.on which both govts. had almost agreed and were on verge of signing the accord.

Musharaff's Neelam Plan ?? Please clarify?

 

[KS]

Sicahen will not be de-militarised until India and Pakistan sign documents an verify their outposts.

 

[SMC]

Post reported.

Pushing forward Pakistani line but using Indian flags will result in counter attack by Indian members and will derail the thread.

Your viewpoint is appreciated and will look even more better with non-Indian flags.

How hypocritical are you Indians? You used attack Pakistanis who made similar comments about other Pakistanis like there's no tomorrow.... and here you are, doing the same.

 

[Markus]

How hypocritical are you Indians? You used attack Pakistanis who made similar comments about other Pakistanis like there's no tomorrow.... and here you are, doing the same.

What rubbish ? WHen did I make such comments on ppl of your side ?

Do not generalize and do not attribute actions of others to me.

I would also suggest that you do not interfere as this matter is between ppl who are displaying Indian flags.