The agreement on Kashmir bus service looks like a small step but has the potential to become a giant stride on way to final rapprochement. Srinagar - Muzzafarabad bus services is a milestone on the road to reconciliation. Do not equate it with Lahore - Delhi bus which was just one more communication link to then existing train and air travel between Pakistan - India. This particular confidence building measure has a far deeper significance.
It breaches the iron wall of LoC, which would cease to be a battle line and become a bonhomie border. Instead of soldiers firing across it, now the civilian men, women and children from both sides would go over it in peace and security. It would unite the hitherto divided people of Kashmir to usher in a new era of brotherhood and camaraderie. Torn asunder trust would have a chance to repair and reconcile in a spirit of friendship and understanding.
It is not yet realised the extent to which travelling between India and Pakistan has been made easy simply by strokes of pens.
Hitherto if people from either side wanted to cross the border without the rigours of passports, visas, waiting and long ques, there were only two alternatives. Either march across as soldiers on top of tanks with guns firing, prepared to kill or be killed or creep into the other country surreptitiously as smugglers and criminals at the risk of losing your life.
Now it will be possible to go across as citizens and civilians in broad daylight riding in the comfort of motorised vehicles. The only thing needed would be a permit - a piece of paper with your name, date of birth and address. It is something unbelievable. I am surprised that the media has failed to highlight the breakthrough.
It is to be noted that the facility is not confined to territories of what we call Azad and occupied Kashmir but is available to any Pakistani or Indian who wants to avail the route. Once this sinks in I expect that in due course enterprising Pakistanis would flock to this particular piece of border to visit Srinagar whose beauty was described by Emperor Jahangir as "Firdaus bar rue Zamin". It would then be a bonanza for tourism.
Apart form the commercial aspect, the bus service would unite the divided families of Kashmir and break the wall of distrust that stands between them like an invisible Berlin wall. It would lead to cultural and business boon not to speak of political benefits.
Taking all these factors into consideration I would regard this agreement on top of the list of all the CBMs hitherto implemented.
Normally this development should be greeted with glee. But in the matter of India - Pakistan relations distrusts die-hard. There are hard-liners on both sides of the border who not only oppose the agreement but criticise it as a sop to delay the core issue of Kashmir settlement. Forgetting that BJP itself initiated the process of reconciliation, the extremists in that party have blamed the Congress government for succumbing to Pakistan, by giving to much too soon.
Likewise pro-Kashmir militants in Pakistan and within Kashmiri Hurriyat group are not happy and talk of sabotage to nip the bus in the bud. It is now up to the two governments of India and Pakistan to circumvent the threats and prevent pitfalls on the path to reconciliation. To conclude, it needs to be appreciated that by a single stroke of 'bus diplomacy' the lost momentum of composite dialogue, which was faltering, has been regained to put the peace process back on the track.
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