LoC as international border most viable solution,
Omar Abdullah
WASHINGTON: Asserting that the current status quo is
not an answer to the Kashmir problem, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has
called for converting the Line of Control (LoC) into an international border
that allows free movement of people and goods.
"One thing is certain. Status quo is not the
answer. If India is going to continue to maintain that the parts of Jammu and
Kashmir occupied by Pakistan have to be vacated and till then there would be no
solution and if Pakistan continues to insist that Jammu and Kashmir is the
unfinished agenda of the 1947 partition then they are going nowhere," Omar
said.
"For any solution to work, we first have to
recognise that there can be no further transfer of territory between either of
the two countries, which means you take the Line of Control and recognise it as
an (international) border," the 45-year-old National Conference Working
President said.
Delivering keynote address at 'The Kashmir Conclave'
organised by the Georgetown University’s student group India Dialogue, Omar acknowledged
that his solution would be a tough sell in the two countries as there are
vested interests in the two capitals that want the Kashmir problem to continue.
Omar argued this is the most viable solution to the
Kashmir problem, given that India itself has recognised this Line of Control
even there have been reasons not to do so.
He gave the example of 1999 Kargil war in this regard.
He gave the example of 1999 Kargil war in this regard.
"I know this is not going to be an easy sell. But
this is the most viable alternative because I do not see any other alternative
that requires either India or Pakistan loose face," he said last night.
"If you de-recognise Line of Control, then it has
to be a soft border. It has to allow people to move more freely, for goods to
move more freely. I think, this can be an example to the rest of our
neighbour," he asserted.
Responding to questions, Omar opposed the idea of
international mediation arguing that such a move is not going to work.
"A certain amount of backchannel facilitation
would help, but meditation would not work," he said, adding that it is for
India and Pakistan to work on a viable solution to the Kashmir problem.
He said that dialogue, not violence, is the only
solution to Kashmir problem. Such a dialogue should be not only between New
Delhi and Islamabad but also with the people of the State on both side of the
border.
In his address, Omar called for creation of a Truth and
Reconciliation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir that should have equal support
from both India and Pakistan.
He lashed out at Pakistan for consistently misleading the world on the UN Security Council resolution and plebiscite.
He lashed out at Pakistan for consistently misleading the world on the UN Security Council resolution and plebiscite.
Referring to the UN Security Council resolution, Omar
said Pakistan has not taken the first step in that regard which is removing all
its troops and personnel from the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Quite clearly the first step was not taken by
Pakistan," he said, alleging that for decades Islamabad has been
successfully selling its narrative to the world that it is India which is
coming in the way of plebiscite.Whereas the truth is different, he said.
He alleged that Pakistan, unlike India, has not only
changed the demographics of Kashmir, but also handed over a large part of the
State to China, which it is in no position to regain control.
Having changed demographics of its side of Kashmir,
Pakistan talks about only plebiscite in the Indian side of Kashmir, he added.
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