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Dr Pv lakshmaiah IAS Study Circle > Current affairs > International Relations > The LoC agreement of 2007 deserves a relook

The LoC agreement of 2007 deserves a relook

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  1. Introduction
    • Satinder Lambah’s book reveals information about India-Pakistan dialogue process.
    • It talks about the agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, which was almost signed by the two nations.
  2. Contours of the Agreement
    • The agreement sought “not to redraw borders, but make borders irrelevant”.
    • The settlement includes a free flow of trade, ending cross-border terrorism, respect for human rights, and bringing down military presence on both sides of the LoC
    • The Line of Control has to be respected like a normal border between the two countries.
  3. Present Scenario
    • The political contact at any level between the two nations is nil.
    • There is no trade, no direct travel links by air, road or rail, and no High Commissioners in each other’s countries.
    • Recent terror attacks have further deteriorated relations.
  4.  Seeking Engagement
    • The long arc of the relationship always veers towards engagement.
    • The back-channel process was put back in place between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and the Pakistani intelligence.
    • The two sides have discussed a sequence of responses that would lead back to quasi-normalcy, which would include initiatives such as the Kartarpur Corridor.
    • The next step would be to revisit the nearly-ready agreement of 15 years ago, which Lambah writes was legally vetted.
  5.  Changes from then to now
    • New Delhi’s moves on August 5, 2019 (revoking J&K’s special status and Statehood) led Pakistan to snap trade and travel links and recall High Commissioners.
    • However, a more long-term view of the moves might find that they did not change the basis for a settlement of the J&K dispute.
  6. Conclusion
    • Lambah’s book is a significant contribution to the understanding of the India-Pakistan dialogue process.
    • The long-standing issues between the two nations require diplomatic solutions that may take time and effort to implement.