CBM?s Indo-Pak Peace Process

Will a bus running across the borders bring cordial relations between the two south asian nuclear rivals India and Pakistan? Well this is a question that will look for its answer on it own and time can only find its answer.

The first bus from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad was flagged off in the an auspicious ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA president Sonia Gandhi. The April 7 trip to Muzaffarabad involves thirty passengers in a two 15 seater buses. Among the VIP travelers were People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah and state CPI-M secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

Sonia Gandhi also unveiled a "peace wall" in Uri which is dedicated to the Indo-Pakistani friendship, looking forward to further work on building the relationship by introducing more Confidence building measures.(CBM's).

The bus was rightly named as the Karwan-e-Aman (The Caravan of Peace) as it took a message between the two Kashmirs divided by destiny. The whole idea behind this bus service is to increase people to people contact between families living across the borders who had to sacrifice their beloved ones to the heartless borders marked by the two nations.

However it's has to be watched and seen as to how much the two governments are successful in making this possible. Besides diplomatic promises of uniting the divided families things has to move in a transparent manner in the grassroots level when it comes to getting clearance for the journey and in other documentation matters concerning the journey. This is where the central and the state government have to play their role.

A process well started is like half done proves wrong here as this process is hypersensitive in nature and concerns the sentiments of scores of divided families suppressed for decades under territorial demarcations. It's a commendable fact that the government has a taken a positive step forward in the betterment of Indo-Pak relations.

The two countries decided to implement another CBM by opening the rail link between Munnabao in Rajasthan and Khokhrapar in Sind near Karachi in December. There is also a proposal to extend the Munnabao-Khokhrapur train service up to Karachi The rail link will benefit thousands of families, living near Karachi, who had migrated from India, mainly from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Delhi during Partition. The two countries have agreed upon plying trucks across the Line of Control in Kashmir. This move is going to be of immense help for Kashmiri apple growers in finding new markets in areas around Rawalpindi in turn boosting Kashmir's economy.

On April 22, 2005 during the Asian African summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told press reporters the following "I really believe that if this process is allowed to go forward, it will create a climate conducive to the final settlement," The prime minister also added that it was not possible to put a time frame for resolving the problem. "I really don''t know today. It is a process. I can't lay down a timetable, where will it lead us or when will it". "But I am convinced this is the way of looking at the problem which creates a situation where there are no losers, no winners.

"They only gainers are the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the prospects of reconciliation between the people of India and the people of Pakistan" To conclude I would like to say that it is time to take advantage of the conducive atmosphere and take the process ahead and come up with more confidence building measures and introduce more trade links and introduce measures that will mutually benefit the two nations.

To read similar articles please visit http://www.himalayanaffairs.org

Lalith Ninan
A freelance journalist

monthly home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..
In The News:

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.
Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.
Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.
Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.
Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.
Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

DC Lawyers; Have I Got a Case for You?

This is no time for the Black community to sue... Read More

Let us Disband The FTC?s Franchising Division

Previously Senator Dick Armey and his staff in 2000 to... Read More

Should Judgeships Be a Political Event?

Thought of the day; Questions about the judicial system. If... Read More

Canada Tries to Stop Flow of Drugs into the US

As more and more cities and states set up websites... Read More

Population and Transportation in the Modern Era of International Terrorism

It is important as populations expand to work on the... Read More

I am Not an African American

I am not an African-American. Don't call me an African... Read More

Trade Policy; Hurting Industry and Small Business

The steel tariff taxes a few years ago hurt industry... Read More

Self Destruct Strategies in UAV Construction

All UAVs Need a Self Destruct BLOS DeviceWhat do you... Read More

Dismal Performance of the NSA

The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More

Carl Rove and the Case of Sour Grapes

The Carl Rove issue is definitely interesting and distracting. The... Read More

Government Backed Fraud in Academia

Contrary to the Hobbesian prediction of anarchy (freedom) and brutish... Read More

Osama bin Laden Needs a Pay Raise

Osama bin Laden probably needs to get a pay raise,... Read More

A Workable Alternative to Term Limits

The end of another election once again brings into focus... Read More

Economic Free Zones in Macedonia

Question: Dr. Vaknin ? is it true that you are... Read More

Dealing With UK Water Rates Debts: What You Need To Know

UK Water RatesYOU CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED FOR WATER RATES DEBTSWater... Read More

Globalization

Often we see protests at the sites of global leader... Read More

Where have all the Heroes gone

America is filled with standouts and perserverance; our nation has... Read More

Image is Everything in Redevelopment Projects

Revitalization Downtown projects are all the rage in fact the... Read More

Predator or Prey; Hunter or the Hunted; Teacher or the Pupil; Winning or Losing?

This is a thought on the study of Home and... Read More

FTC Franchise Disclosure Law Invites Violations; Do Not Call Lists

The Federal trade Commission has a rule, which says that... Read More

Will Cloning of Super Families Lead to Slavery

If slavery has not worked well, then cloning if it... Read More

We Are Turning a Corner in Foreign Relations, Thanks GW Bush!

Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More

Population Control and Water Supply Issues

As we increase our populations every new soul will require... Read More

Silicon Valley Brain Drain; Bad Trade Policies, Why?

We have brain drain issues in Silicon Valley, we have... Read More

Should the FTC be Allowed to Regulate Franchising?

Recently the FTC, Federal Trade Commission put forth a report... Read More

scheduled maid service Mundelein ..