Redesign Indo-Pak CBMs to inject vitality

The Tribune     29th March 2021     Save    
QEP Pocket Notes

Context: Indo-Pak Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) needs a revamp.

Indo-PakCBMs in J&K: These ideas are anchored in the discipline of conflict resolution that seeks to create an enabling environment for peace between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

  • Cross-Line of Control (LoC) movement of civilians in 2005.
  • Cross-LoC tradestarted in 2008.

Reasons for the failure of these CBMs

  • Limited Cross-LoC trade: due to -
    • Poor state of Pakistan-controlled Jammu and Kashmir.
      • Lack of agriculture base and nascent industrial base.
      • It is a remittance economy: E.g. 70% of British Pakistanis have a direct or indirect connection with the Pothwari-speaking people in the area.
    • Traditional goods are traded predominantly: carpet rugs, handicrafts and basmati rice.
    • Mostly done by people outside Jammu and Kashmir: who exploited the advantage of zero duty in contrast to restrictive and high tariff trade between India and Pakistan along Wagah.
  • Limited Cross-LoC movement of civilians:
    • Exclusionary in nature:  
      • The third and fourth generation descendants of Hindus and Sikhs who live in Jammu and other parts of India don’t fulfil the criterion of the cross-LoC movement.
      • Most migrants from India settled in Pakistan’s Punjab rather than in Pakistan-controlled J&K and thus are excluded.
    • Vanishing ties between families on either side: as the family members with direct connection expired and families expanded.

Way forward

  • Scale down the expectations from cross-LoC trade: in influencing the India-Pakistan relations and make efforts for the larger India-Pakistan trade reality.
  • Exploiting the trade potential: A 2017 World Bank report — Glass Half Full — had noted that the trade between India and Pakistan annually was worth $2117 million.
  • Broaden the conceptual framework ofCBM related tomovement of civilians: All those with a familial connection with J&K in India or Pakistan should be allowed to travel to visit their ancestral places.
    • Open old Suchetgarh (Jammu)-Sialkot (Pakistan’s Punjab) route: which has already become a popular tourist destination on either side and allow families from both sides to freely move.
    • Give due importance to security: E.g. by initially allowing only people above the age of 60 years shall be allowed to move.
QEP Pocket Notes