Let peace prevail

News of skirmishes between India and Pakistan near the 
Line of Control at a time when confidence-building measures are being put in place is disheartening for peoples of both the countries.

The trading of fire the other day seems to be the biggest incident in the last many years on the troubled 
frontiers. This shouldn’t come to disturb the uneasy peace that is prevailing after a series of political steps paved the way for increased exchanges of visits and trade.

Allegations and counter-allegations from both sides as to who was responsible for the flare-up needs to be urgently discussed and serenity restored for the sake of peace in the subcontinent. This brawl has come at a wrong time when the political leadership had exchanged vows to normalise ties and ensure efforts to tackle disputes in an amicable manner. Thus, it is incumbent upon the military and political leadership to once again revisit that resolve and cool the prevailing tension by taking appropriate steps. The present confrontation is too dangerous to be left to the soldiers alone to decide. The onus is on the commandants to work for tranquility and redress the concerns on either side in a passive manner. A white flag meeting in the zone of skirmishes could be of help in settling the dispute in a fair and rationale manner.

India and Pakistan should not let pro-militancy groups benefit from the situation. Both the countries would be better advised to keep their cool and tread the path of coexistence and cordiality in all fairness. The region cannot afford confrontation and a pestering conflict at any cost while the world is busy in fighting terrorism. Let this border clash end as a mere footnote to history
Khaleej Times