Govt clarifies its ceasefire deal

Highly placed sources in the Government acknowledged that the latest olive branch to the Kashmiris was extended with the hope that it would create the necessary climate for a dialogue. The sources said they were optimistic that the Hurriyat and other groups would respond favourably, paving the way for talks to begin by the end of December when Ramzan finishes.

While cautioning that a ceasefire does not mean that security forces will lower their guard, the sources said the instructions to the army are “not to initiate combat operations”. In other words, the security forces will only retaliate if they are attacked. Home Minister L K Advani clarified to correspondents that the ceasefire will not extend to the areas along the Line of Control.

On the face of it, the ceasefire offer is a risky political gamble by the Government, particularly after the ignominous manner in which its peace initiative with the Hizbul Mujahideen collapsed in August. Official sources maintained, however, that the decision was taken after careful consideration of intelligence and other reports from the Valley all of which suggest an “overwhelming mood for peace” among the Kashmiris.

According to government reports, militancy, especially by Kashmiri groups, is on the decline and the army appears to be “on top” of the situation. In October, combing operations by security forces took an unusually high toll, claiming the lives of more than 200 militants, most of them foreigners. The Government sees this as evidence of successful anti-insurgency measures which has given it the confidence to gamble again in Kashmir.

The ceasefire announcement comes in the wake of two other peace gestures to the Hurriyat. One was to allow Hurriyat leaders Abbas Ansari and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq to attend the OIC summit meet in Qatar and the other was to give Abdul Ghani Lone a limited passport to travel to Pakistan to attend the marriage of his son to separatist leader Amanullah Khan’s daughter.

The Government has been trying to get a political initiative in Kashmir off the ground since April when it decided to release imprisoned Hurriyat leaders. Having burnt its fingers with premature publicity which killed the dialogue before it even started, this time the Government intends to hold informal talks with the Hurriyat first away from the glare of the media.

These talks will hammer out the modalities of a formal dialogue. Official sources hinted that the Government will not stop Hurriyat leaders from travelling to Pakistan as self-appointed go-betweens but they asserted that there is no question of tripartite talks.

Recent statements from Hurriyat leaders like Omar Farooq indicate that the organisation has come around to the view that talks will initially have to be held with India and Pakistan separately.