Killer Siachen — 'where a Pakistani soldier dies every four days from the cold'

[optimisticlad]

Questionable positioning
By Akhtar Pervaiz
Military experts and peace activists have consistently questioned the strategic and economic significance of the Siachen glacier — saying it does not justify the toll it exacts in men and finances. Stephen Cohen of Brookings Institute described it as “two bald men fighting for a comb”.

Retired Indian Army Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal, writing in the journal of the New Delhi-based Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, said the Siachen glacier and the mountain ranges surrounding it have very little strategic significance.

“Therefore, the continued military occupation of the area by both India and Pakistan is counterproductive and is a retrograde step for pursuing a genuine rapprochement process.”

Kanwal suggested that the area be demilitarised, and “after demilitarisation has been successfully completed, the Siachen DMZ (demilitarised zone) can be declared a ‘science park’. Environmental cleaning will need to be undertaken as a high priority task so that the mess left by 25 years of military occupation can be cleared up.”

Independent observers have placed the cost of maintaining such a heavy army presence in Siachen at Rs1,000-1,200 crore ($148-177 billion) a year to the Indian exchequer. Pakistan spends less but it is still a heavy drain on the country’s finances.

 

[Levina]

Military experts and peace activists have consistently questioned the strategic and economic significance of the Siachen glacier

They need to know this about Siachen...

 

[Laozi]

Independent observers have placed the cost of maintaining such a heavy army presence in Siachen at Rs1,000-1,200 crore ($148-177 billion) a year to the Indian exchequer.

My calculation says it amounts to $ 150 Million. Anyways this amount can be put to more fruitful use once the Borders are demarcated and peace and tranquility prevails.

 

[EagleEyes]

They need to know this about Siachen...
View attachment 292545

Why can't the borders be marked and check posts abandoned in that area if it is mutually acceptable?

 

[VCheng]

Why can't the borders be marked and check posts abandoned in that area if it is mutually acceptable?

Because there is no border there, only lines of control based on possession.

 

[surya kiran]

Why can't the borders be marked and check posts abandoned in that area if it is mutually acceptable?

You troller. webmaster of pdf and is asking such questions.

 

[Moonlight]

I have watched few documentaries on lives of Pakistani soldiers on Siachen. Speechless! We can't even thank them enough for all this effort they're making for us (Pakistanis). For securing Pakistan. Kudos!

 

[Moonlight]

Why can't the borders be marked and check posts abandoned in that area if it is mutually acceptable?

Sir, it's hard to trust enemies. Mutual acceptability can work in case of fights, but not in undeclared wars.

 

[Parul]

Sir, it's hard to trust enemies. Mutually acceptability can work in case of fights, but not in undeclared wars.

True. Siachen is of Significant Importance because of it's strategic Location- if demilitarized, who knows another "Kargil" like Incursion may happen.

 

[mughaljee]

O.A.
Only Pakistani Soldiers Dies ?

 

[Ghazwa e Hind]

China Pakistan Economic Corridor is in progress these days. Pakistan Army will never make this mistake to vacate the area with a "mutual consent" with Indians. We are sitting on those 20,000+ feet heights since 1984. We can hold them for a decade more. No need to pull off soldiers now. Indians can never be trusted at this time when whole West, Middle East, Iran & India itself are itching with this CPEC project.

 

[Vapnope]

Indian soldier found alive six days after avalanche in Siachen - World - DAWN.COM

 

[Levina]

Why can't the borders be marked and check posts abandoned in that area if it is mutually acceptable?

Mutually acceptable???
why?
I know many here would call me an arm chair warrior for not supporting demilitarisation of kargil, but i have my reasons.
1) Demilitarisation of kargil is not possible atleast from india's side, as it puts us at the disadvantage of loosing Saltoro ridge. Its a huge source of freshwater for us.
2) Musharraf has repeated it on several occasions, that "there will be more KARGILs". What if he's right??? what if the enemy intrudes??? Thats one reason why India is apprehensive about demilitarisation.
3) From India's point of view- what happens if Pakistan decides to double-cross us post demilitarisation and reoccupy
the precious Saltoro Ridge?
Our next line of defence would possibly be the Ladakh Range and Leh will be within enemy artillery range. Maintenance of Ladakh Range will be severely threatened. Our new defence line will need additional troops and mmay be additional divisions too. Large reserves will be required, including for counter infiltration. Enormous expenditure and time will be needed for preparation of new posts, bunkers, gun positions, helipads, administrative buildings, communications infrastructure, maintenance and recurring expenses.
4) The China factor- China is not our best buddy. To say that China has no plans in Ladakh will be the height
of naivete, considering the persistent ground and air Chinese violations in the area.
5) People,or the so called experts, say that both India and Pakistan loose close to Rs 8-10 cores a day for maintaining their respective posts in Kargil.
Think of it this way, India looses close to Rs 12 crores for maintaining a white elephant called Air India. Are the Indian govt or Pakistani govt ready to close down such public sector ventures??? (I am sure Pakistan, like India, has many white elephants like Air India).

@Abingdonboy @anant_s

 

[Sipahi]

Mutually acceptable???
why?
I know many here would call me an arm chair warrior for not supporting demilitarisation of kargil, but i have my reasons.
1) Demilitarisation of kargil is not possible atleast from india's side, as it puts us at the disadvantage of loosing Saltoro ridge. Its a huge source of freshwater for us.
2) Musharraf has repeated it on several occasions, that "there will be more KARGILs". What if he's right??? what if the enemy intrudes??? Thats one reason why India is apprehensive about demilitarisation.
3) From India's point of view- what happens if Pakistan decides to double-cross us post demilitarisation and reoccupy
the precious Saltoro Ridge?
Our next line of defence would possibly be the Ladakh Range and Leh will be within enemy artillery range. Maintenance of Ladakh Range will be severely threatened. Our new defence line will need additional troops and mmay be additional divisions too. Large reserves will be required, including for counter infiltration. Enormous expenditure and time will be needed for preparation of new posts, bunkers, gun positions, helipads, administrative buildings, communications infrastructure, maintenance and recurring expenses.
4) The China factor- China is not our best buddy. To say that China has no plans in Ladakh will be the height
of naivete, considering the persistent ground and air Chinese violations in the area.
5) People,or the so called experts, say that both India and Pakistan loose close to Rs 8-10 cores a day for maintaining their respective posts in Kargil.
Think of it this way, India looses close to Rs 12 crores for maintaining a white elephant called Air India. Are the Indian govt or Pakistani govt ready to close down such public sector ventures??? (I am sure Pakistan, like India, has many white elephants like Air India).

@Abingdonboy @anant_s

 

[anant_s]

Mutually acceptable???
why?
I know many here would call me an arm chair warrior for not supporting demilitarisation of kargil, but i have my reasons.
1) Demilitarisation of kargil is not possible atleast from india's side, as it puts us at the disadvantage of loosing Saltoro ridge. Its a huge source of freshwater for us.
2) Musharraf has repeated it on several occasions, that "there will be more KARGILs". What if he's right??? what if the enemy intrudes??? Thats one reason why India is apprehensive about demilitarisation.
3) From India's point of view- what happens if Pakistan decides to double-cross us post demilitarisation and reoccupy
the precious Saltoro Ridge?
Our next line of defence would possibly be the Ladakh Range and Leh will be within enemy artillery range. Maintenance of Ladakh Range will be severely threatened. Our new defence line will need additional troops and mmay be additional divisions too. Large reserves will be required, including for counter infiltration. Enormous expenditure and time will be needed for preparation of new posts, bunkers, gun positions, helipads, administrative buildings, communications infrastructure, maintenance and recurring expenses.
4) The China factor- China is not our best buddy. To say that China has no plans in Ladakh will be the height
of naivete, considering the persistent ground and air Chinese violations in the area.
5) People,or the so called experts, say that both India and Pakistan loose close to Rs 8-10 cores a day for maintaining their respective posts in Kargil.
Think of it this way, India looses close to Rs 12 crores for maintaining a white elephant called Air India. Are the Indian govt or Pakistani govt ready to close down such public sector ventures??? (I am sure Pakistan, like India, has many white elephants like Air India).

@Abingdonboy @anant_s

very well put!
the point here is lack of trust and paranoia that runs on both sides.
my language would look crude but the thing is India has lost huge number of its men to protect the location and the fact remains for commanders to consider is that, assume hypothetically that both nations move back, and on one day India finds Pak troops occupying the location, all the sacrifices made thus far would go waste and probably would become impossible to wrest back control.
This thought alone is the greatest deterrent against troops leaving their current positions.