Himalayan Humane Positive Approaches between Perennial Enemies – India and Pakistan

Indian prisoners arrived in India through Attari-Wagah land border after they were released by Pakistan in 2016.  The Modi Government’s latest proposals had paved the way for further releases of prisoners on a swap arrangement.

The success of such continued positive approaches in the humanitarian side is due to Sushma Swaraj and Modi acting in unison.

Everybody knows that India-Pakistan talks have been suspended since 2013 and efforts to revive them subsequently have to naught.

Further, both Pakistan and Indian troops exchanged heavy fire for the past two  years after relations nosedived, following terrorist incidents in 2016 in Pathankot and Uri. The arrest of alleged Indian spy Kalbhushan Jadhav in Baluchistan province in 2016 further deteriorated the relations between India and Pakistan. Pakistan alleged that Jadhav was a serving Indian Navy official employed by RAW to spread terror in Baluchistan and Sindh province, while India denied the allegations. India went to the International Court of Justice in 2017, following a death sentence that was awarded by a military court to Jadhav.

A series of attacks on military facilities in Indian borders in 2016 by Pakistan forces, India’s surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads in Pakistan controlled Kashmir and above all the Indian Government accusing at international bodies including the UN General Assembly much to the displeasure of Pakistan Government have all added fuel to the fire which had affected the already fragile diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

However, it is really great that there were several contacts between the national security advisors of the two countries last year inspite of border conflicts between two nations.

On a humanitarian basis, the External Affairs Minister of India had made three proposals to its Pakistan Counterpart in October 2017 as under:

Proposal 1: Exchange of three categories of prisoners viz women, mentally challenged or (those) with special needs and those above 70 years of age.

Proposal 2: To revive the judicial commission

Proposal 3: To facilitate the visit of medical experts from both sides to meet and examine the mentally challenged prisoners for their repatriation.

Pakistan’s approval to India’s three proposals comes six months after they were first put forward and it is very much heartening to note that on its part, Pakistan, after its approval for India’s proposal, had further suggested an exchange of prisoners above 60 years of age instead of 70 years as put forth by India and the exchange of child prisoners below 18 years of age! Such positive approach to India’s proposals – even coming forward on its own by suggesting further relaxations for prisoners’ age and adding and agreeing to exchange child prisoners below 18 years of age are welcome sign  from the Pakistan side.

It is stated that in Pakistan there are 457 Indian prisoners, comprising of 399 fishermen and 58 civilians and India is currently housing 344 Pakistani prisoners, comprising of 94 fishermen and 250 civilians. 

As the suggestion made by the External Affairs Minister of India to the High Commissioner of Pakistan for the swapping of prisoners was favorably met, the move will pave the way for the two countries to embark on a comprehensive dialogue and make a conscious effort to de-escalate the extremely vitiated current environment and the situation on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.

Actually there were no demands from any side to make such a request to Pakistan Government and the present Modi Government had, on its own, made the three proposals which were accepted by the Pakistan Government much to the eternal joys of the concerned prisoners and their families on both sides.

Strong, Dedicated and Concerned Leaderships that India now possess, are the reasons for achieving such Himalayan Humane Successful Proposals.

Let US Hail Both Sushma Swaraj and Modi.

THINK INDIA THINK.