After three years of continuing military and diplomatic hostility the army chiefs of India and Pakistan have like their predecessors conveyed it to the political leaderships of their country that dialogue is the only way forward to resolve disputes and restore peace in Jammu & Kashmir. More encouraging are the remarks of Indian army Chief General Bipin Rawat who in categorical terms has said that neither the army nor the militants will win the war in Kashmir and dialogue is the only way to resolve disputes and establish peace in Kashmir. The Indian army chief’s statement overtly and covertly conveys the message to the incumbent Modi government in Delhi that killing militants won’t end the continuing chaos and political instability in Jammu & Kashmir but a bold political initiative for the resumption of dialogue over Kashmir is the only way to end continuing bloodshed in Kashmir. A strong political initiative for resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue process can at least restore calm on borders and boil down the rising tempers in Kashmir valley but the statements of the army chief of two countries should be responded with much awaited reconciliatory attempts from the political top brass of both the countries. The events unfolding on the political and diplomatic fronts in both India and Pakistan are sufficient enough to indicate that political leaders holding the reigns of power in both New Delhi and Islamabad instead of dropping hints for the restoration of bilateral relations are tending to increase provocations both on the diplomatic and military fronts.
It is for the political leaderships in New Delhi and Islamabad to take a cue from the statements of their army chiefs and try to rebuild new bonds of friendship for giving peace a chance in Jammu & Kashmir
The people in Jammu & Kashmir directly hit by the increasing diplomatic and military confrontation between India and Pakistan are always seeing a ray of hope in the reconciliatory statement of both the military and political leaders of both the countries and this time also the statements of the army chiefs of the two countries have generated a new ray of hope in Jammu & Kashmir. Now it is for the political leaderships in New Delhi and Islamabad to take a cue from the statements of their army chiefs and try to rebuild new bonds of friendship for giving peace a chance in Jammu & Kashmir.
