Demilitarization of the Siachen Glacier, a Step towards peace in South Asia

-COL DR. ABDUL RUFF

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Recently Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani made a rare call for the demilitarization of the Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield, after touring the site of an avalanche that buried 129 Pakistani soldiers near the border with rival India. India occupies Jammu Kashmir for decades now since 1947 when Indian military invaded and occupied a peaceful neighboring nation. Kayani was speaking 11 days after a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Siachen Glacier in the disputed Kashmir region was engulfed by up to 80 feet of snow. Eleven civilians were also trapped.

The army has listed the names of the missing soldiers and civilians on its public relations website. Although Kayani stressed that it was the duty of Pakistani soldiers to defend their country no matter how harsh the conditions, he also said a political solution was needed to end disputes like Siachen.  "It is for the leadership of both countries to find a solution, he said.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is at the heart of hostility between India and Pakistan and was the cause of two of their three full-scale wars. Indian and Pakistani troops in Siachen have fought at altitudes of over 20,000 feet in temperatures of minus 60 degrees Celsius. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Indian and Pakistani troops are stationed in the mountains above the glacier.

The avalanche tragedy has revived criticism of the 28-year conflict over the glacier, which is futile. Siachen is in the northern part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir. The no-man's-land is 20,000 feet above sea level. A 200-feet deep mix of snow, ice, boulders and small rocks has covered the Pak military headquarters there. Rescue efforts were still under way near Siachen, with workers pushing through snow, mud and boulders using heavy machinery, life-detection equipment or even their gloved hands.

Generals have ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 64-year history, through coups or from behind the scenes. They set security and foreign policy, even when civilian governments are in power, as is the case now. Military spending consumes just over 17 percent of the state budget. Military experts say the inhospitable climate and avalanche-prone terrain have claimed more lives than gunfire.

Gen. Kayani, arguably the most powerful man in Pakistan, said the standoff between India and Pakistan has been costly in many ways, from defense spending to the environmental impact of deployments in the area. Highlighting the constant dangers of operating in the forbidding expanse, he even instructed reporters to drop their equipment and run to a safe spot if avalanche warning whistles are heard. There have been no death announcements and the military says it will not abandon the search and rescue effort.

A tentative peace process is under way and ties between Islamabad and New Delhi are at their warmest in years, with recent high-level meetings. However, there has been no credible progress over the issue of sovereignty to Jammu Kashmir as India is still adamant on this, stressing the same lie that JK is an integral part of Indian now.

It is high time India also realized that demilitarization of the Siachen Glacier is a major step towards peace in South Asia. The act of demilitarization of the Siachen would enable the zone to become quiet and peaceful, encourage the Kashmiris living under continuous tension and terrorization would breathe sigh of relief from the threat to lives because of heavy military movements and regular cross-fires. 

Demilitarization of Jammu Kashmir would further ease the situation in occupied Jammu Kashmir. In this respect also the Gen. Kayani’s earnest appeal to demilitarize the Siachen makes a lot of sense and goodwill.