Two to tango

The second extension of the government’s unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir must be welcomed most unequivocally. From the very beginning, all those weeks ago in November when New Delhi announced its peace initiative, the ceasefire has been an enterprise fraught with risk. And never so far more than at this juncture. The overwhelming consensus evident just weeks ago on the initiative is now showing signs of fraying at the edges. On the one hand, there are various shades of political opinion — be it the National Conference with its strident opposition to any prospect of hobnobbing with separatist groups, or be it political parties like the BJP and the Congress with their soft warnings of caution about allowing militants a quiet lull to regroup. On the other, there is a perceptible impatience with a purely defensive posture among the security forces, who point to rising casualties among civilians and soldiers even as militants enjoy a vacation from cordon-and-search operations. In fact, withPakistan-based jehadi groups attempting to outdo one another in executing heinous attacks, it is but a matter of time before the nation’s patience wears out.

Thankfully, the Cabinet Committee on Security has kept in focus another lot of protagonists in this entire drama: the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Civilian casualties may be up in the state but the longing for peace and for a determined peace process is more than audible. Surely, that — in addition to the diplomatic imperative to run the extra mile in this extraordinary gesture — had to be a deciding factor behind the decision to extend the ceasefire. In any case, calling off the truce at this point would have entailed frittering away all the gains made thus far. Having said that, it is clear that the next month will see an endgame of sorts in this phase of the initiative. New Delhi’s latest decision enjoins all parties to give tangible proof of sincerity if the initiative is to be preserved beyond the new February 25 deadline.

First, Pakistan has to do what it alone can: extend into Indian territory the quietude effected on the Line of Control. The government has rightly qualified its latest decision by asking Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere and rein in groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba. It is depressingly ominous then that while chirping about his much desired summit with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pervez Musharraf chose to rev up the morale of his army corps commanders this week by asserting that he is not ready to make any compromise on Kashmir. There is simply no way dialogue — the only thing that can give substance to the peace initiative — can ensue if militant strikes continue. Islamabad’s links with militant groups are too well documented for it to shirk off responsibility in this regard. Second, New Delhi too needs to nuance its initiative and acknowledge the subtleties in Kashmir in order to forge a parallel dialogue with Kashmiri groups. This involves taking care not to alienate some leaders while cultivatingothers as well as exploring the benefits of magnanimity. Third, Kashmiri leaders of all hues — in the state government, in the Hurriyat, in sundry other organisations — too have to give proof of their sincerity. All of them have the next four weeks to accelerate their endeavours. Peace is not a one-way street.