Settling Siachen: Don’t let the solution become a bigger future problem

The only bilateral agreement affecting the area is the 1949 Karachi Agreement, according to which the ceasefire line should have proceeded “northward” from the now famous point NJ 9842.

Since the 1972 Simla Agreement did not say anything about its extension beyond this point, Karachi Agreement of 1949 is the only valid basis to settle this conflict.

India has made no attempt to move down westward from the peaks of the Saltoro Ridge that it has been holding since April 1984. But Pakistan Army launched a massive attack in September 1987 and failed, suffering heavy casualty.

Attempts were made after 1987 to arrive at a negotiated solution to the “Siachen conflict” and talks between Islamabad and New Delhi commenced by 1989. There is widespread understanding that the two countries were very close to an agreement by 1993 but did not move forward to close it.

A major roadblock in the way of a durable solution is that there is no guarantee that the solution will not become a problem one day.

Although the Kargil war no doubt had Siachen as its strategic objective, the reality is that any settlement will have to recognise the Saltoro Ridge as the actual position on the ground for more than two decades and fully consistent with the 1949 Karachi Agreement.

With the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan, this seems a favourable time for arriving at a solution through negotiations. The problem is with the terms of that solution and disengagement.

Logically, the line on the ridge indicating the actual position on the ground should be treated as an extension of the 1972 Line of Control. But even if we accept the new terminology—AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line)— this has to be accorded the requisite degree of sanctity to avoid future conflicts.

Reports indicate that Pakistan does not wish to authenticate the actual...