Let's make LoC irrelevant, says Musharraf (wants Kashmir demiliterized)

[ECH1969]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that the October 8 earthquake is a "lifetime opportunity" to resolve the Kashmir "dispute."

In an interview here to the BBC, Gen. Musharraf maintained that it was necessary to identify exactly "what is Kashmir,' then demilitarise the identified region, take all the soldiers out and then give self-government to the people in the region.

"I have always believed there is an opportunity of a lifetime to solve the dispute. Now the disaster has struck, I think we should give it deeper thought and resolve the dispute once and for all," he said in response to a question on the future of Kashmir.

http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/22/stories/2005102212260100.htm

[liberalpragmatist]

1. Not a bad idea

My idea: make agreed upon border adjustments with the LoC as the basis. Give full self-government to both the Pakistani and the Indian sides, with cross-border institutions and an open border. The Indian side of Kashmir would be in a loose confederation with India, the Pakistani side in a loose confederation with Pakistan.

Ideally, you could create a self-governing entity encompassing ALL of Kashmir within a larger South Asian confederation including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. But unfortunately that isn't going to happen for quite some time. Hence a truly neutral, singular autonomous Kashmir probably is unviable.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. For the uninitiated

LoC = Line of Control, the terminology used in the border dispute.

I agree though, this could be an excellent opportunity to resolve the issue of Kashmir and defuse the India-Pakistan conflict, which is as inane as the Cold War was for the USA and USSR.

Musharraf contines to be a surprising guy. Maybe the first non-Dictator Dictator the world has seen.

--p!

[skooooo]

3. Ah! Thanks, was thinking LoC = Library of Congress