Zardari proposes withdrawal of troops from Siachen

[Prometheus]

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday proposed that Pakistan and India withdraw forces from Siachen glacier region. The president also said that India’s delegation is doing more politics than talks.

Speaking to journalists at Chief Minister House Sindh, the president said that Indian army's expenditure at Siachen region is more than Pakistan’s. Still, Pakistan has suggested to India that both countries withdraw their forces from the region.

Speaking on the UN report the president said that Benezir Bhutto was assassinated by a mindset. He also questioned the UN’s swift release of the investigation report on Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Later on Friday, while speaking at the 11th ballot of Benazir income support program and “Waseela-e-Haq”, President Zardari said that we have stepped towards the future by forgetting the past.

He said that if Benzair’s reconciliation politics had been implemented then Pakistan would not have to face the current energy crisis.

While praising the steps taken by the coalition parties to rid the encroachments in Sindh he said, now no one will be able to grab land in Karachi.

He further said the measurements of the land and agricultural water will be monitored through satellite. – Dawn News.DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Zardari proposes withdrawal of troops from Siachen

 

[Justin Joseph]

Its old trick to get our army removed from that area nothing gonna happen.

There can be peace or war till then Status quo should be maintained.

 

[Frankenstein]

He is a puppet, paisa phek tamasha deekh

 

[Meengla]

Its old trick to get our army removed from that area nothing gonna happen.

There can be peace or war till then Status quo should be maintained.

The same can be said from the Pakistani side as well.

Have some pity to the soldiers from both sides who have to suffer in that inhospitable place in a stupid war.

Let there be Observers from India, Pakistan, China, US, UN (or whatever agreed upon) deployed at Siachen with international guarantees of non-deployment. Things can work out and Siachen's ecology can be saved as well.

 

[KS]

The same can be said from the Pakistani side as well.

Have some pity to the soldiers from both sides who have to suffer in that inhospitable place in a stupid war.

Let there be Observers from India, Pakistan, China, US, UN (or whatever agreed upon) deployed at Siachen with international guarantees of non-deployment. Things can work out and Siachen's ecology can be saved as well.

Buddy this is not a case of political will in Siachen...its a rarre display of Army will in India

It is the Army that wants to stay in Siachen..not the political leaders.

So in all realistic scenarios ..i dont see that happening on the Indian side.

 

[WAQAS119]

Buddy this is not a case of political will in Siachen...its a rarre display of Army will in India

It is the Army that wants to stay in Siachen..not the political leaders.

So in all realistic scenarios ..i dont see that happening on the Indian side.

and you are spokesman of indian army

 

[karan.1970]

The same can be said from the Pakistani side as well.

Have some pity to the soldiers from both sides who have to suffer in that inhospitable place in a stupid war.

Let there be Observers from India, Pakistan, China, US, UN (or whatever agreed upon) deployed at Siachen with international guarantees of non-deployment. Things can work out and Siachen's ecology can be saved as well.

You (Zardari) wish... Why would India give up the strategic peaks it captured after a major operation in 1980's??

About soldiers, they sign up knowing well the areas they are going to be deployed in. The better approach is for the respective govts to ensure they are properly equipped to handle the situation..

 

[Icarus]

That can only happen when Pakistanis and Indians can cross over into each others country without visa or permission legally at will, which won't be happening for the foreseeable future. Siachen glacier lies at an extremely geographically important location, our troops are not stupid to be freezing their backsides off at -50 degrees are they ? Anybody who claims Siachen will have a bird's eye view of the other's part of Kashmir, all military structures, posts and cantonments will be in view, important roads and bridges, they can then be forwarded to HQ and an artillery or air strike can be called to destroy the structures, therefore, this scenario is unlikely unless confidence building measures are enforces on a scale not seen before...............................

 

[Bang Galore]

You (Zardari) wish... Why would India give up the strategic peaks it captured after a major operation in 1980's??

About soldiers, they sign up knowing well the areas they are going to be deployed in. The better approach is for the respective govts to ensure they are properly equipped to handle the situation..

One of the reasons that the Indian army is in no hurry to remove its troops from Siachin is that with improved equipment now available with the Indian army, casualties due to the extreme conditions have reduced to near negligible levels.

SIACHEN CHILL: For the first time, Army finally seems to have the measure of the Glacier.




Siachen Glacier: Siachen no longer hurts.

That's the message from the Indian Army, which has now ensured that none of its troops perishes on the treacherous battlefield.


For the first time since it paratrooped to the Sia La heights in 1984 to pre-empt a Pakistani march into Siachen, the Army finally seems to have the measure of the Glacier.


"There has been no death in the last one year," Dr Latika, a doctor at the High-Altitude Medical Research Centre, said. The ceasefire since 2003 has helped arrive at zero fatality.


It was not Pakistani firing but the Glacier itself, which was the biggest killer of Indian Army men on the world's highest battlefield.



Of the 720 deaths suffered by the Indian Army so far, 60 per cent perished due to the frigid elements at heights up to 22,000 feet. The Army confers on Siachen the respect it would give to a worthy enemy by calling it 'General Glacier'.


Although survival continues to be a challenge, some astute medical management has enabled the Army to defy 'General Glacier'.


The provision of mobile hyperbaric chambers at all posts, which enable sick soldiers to be subjected to a sea-level atmospheric pressure and quick evacuation, is the key to survival.


"Once an Armyman has developed hi-altitude pulmonary edema, if inclement weather conditions do not permit immediate evacuation, he can survive in this bag (mobile hyperbaric chambers). It is a life-saving thing," Dr Latika explains.


So, as India and Pakistan consider de-militarisation, the Army is conveying to New Delhi that it is under no mortal pressure to withdraw. The Army's ruggedness has kept India's options open on Siachen. And the Army's case for staying put is now backed up by a feat in casualty management.


There was an impression that prolonged deployment on this frozen frontier is hurting the Army. But by achieving a near-zero casualty rate, the Army has demonstrated that it can dig in for as long as it takes.

 

[JonAsad]

Lol.. Indians dont do it,
Kargil-- May be there is a plan for Siachen aswell.
May be General Kayani's extension is also a part of the plan.

 

[Prometheus]

Think from other angle..................even with more expenditure........India is happy that it controls the height of glacier...................and can afford the expenditure...............But currently due to economic troubles in Pakistan........certainly Pakistan is finding difficult to maintain its troops

 

[ice_man]

Buddy this is not a case of political will in Siachen...its a rarre display of Army will in India

It is the Army that wants to stay in Siachen..not the political leaders.

So in all realistic scenarios ..i dont see that happening on the Indian side.

true both sides armies WISH to stay there!!! armies need something to hold onto something to keep fighting over!!!

even bangladesh army frequently involves itself in skirmishes with india!!

armies are full of testosterone hence they are only kept on a leash by the civil governments...so pull out of siachen will never happen until and unless the politicians pressurize

 

[Bang Galore]

Lol.. Indians dont do it,
Kargil-- May be there is a plan for Siachen aswell.
May be General Kayani's extension is also a part of the plan.

Been there done that. Didn't work then;no reason to suppose it will work now.

India launched Operation Meghdoot (named after the divine cloud messenger in a Sanskrit play) on 13 April 1984 when the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force went into the glacier region. Pakistan quickly responded with troop deployments and what followed was literally a race to the top. Within a few days, the Indians were in control over most of the area, as Pakistan was beaten to most of the Saltoro Ridge high ground by about a week. The two northern passes - Sia La and Bilfond La - were quickly secured by India. In his memoirs, current Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf states that Pakistan lost almost 2,331 Km2 (900 Mi2) of territory[2]. TIME states that the Indian advance captured nearly 1,000 sq. mi. of territory claimed by Pakistan.[3] Since then Pakistan has launched several attempts to displace the Indian forces, but with little success. The most well known was in 1987, when an attempt was made by Pakistan to dislodge India from the area. The attack was led by Pervez Musharraf (later President of Pakistan) heading a newly formed elite SSG commando unit in the area. A special garrison with eight thousand troops was built at Khapalu. The immediate aim was to capture Bilafond La but after bitter fighting that included hand to hand combat, the Pakistanis were thrown back and the positions remained the same. The only Param Vir Chakra - India’s highest gallantry award - to be awarded for combat in the Siachen area went to Naib Subedar Bana Singh (retired as Subedar Major/Honorary Captain), who assaulted and captured a Pakistani post in a daring daylight raid atop a 22,000 foot (6,700 m) peak, now named Bana Post. Further attempts to reclaim positions were launched by Pakistan in 1990, 1995, 1996 and even in early 1999, just prior to the Lahore Summit. The 1995 attack by Pakistan SSG was significant as it resulted in 40 casualties for Pakistan troops without any changes in the positions.

 

[Markus]

There is no question of troop withdrawal from Siachen. If Pakistan is really sincere about troop withdrawal then why did it attempt so many times to dislodge India from its positions?

The very fact that infrastructure on the Pak side is better than that on the side means that Siachen positions once vacated will require nothing short of a full scale war to take them back as India will have to make more efforts logistically and that will take more time as well.

 

[ambidex]

Zardari is a Chinese Parrot.
Without understanding Chinese Intention for this region India will never make any deal with Pakistan. Pakistan is already out of the equation since we hold area up to Indira point. Though Pakistan is capable to engage Indian army in tactical skirmishes but abandoning this are will be a logistical blunder since China and Pakistan have their plans.

Pakistan may pretend innocent here typically and may rant day and night to blame that Indian military is controlling India's political decision making but more China will try to poke its nose in *** more India will be determined to guard its white frontier well.