"The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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What a great quote from the article the title of this thread is, and let us all hope and pray that it comes true :slight_smile:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,1-3-1559941,00.html

ZAMARUD SHARIF burst into tears yesterday as she crossed from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to the Indian side for the first time in 57 years.

“I can’t believe I’m back home,” the grandmother, 70, said as she returned in a wheelchair to the land where she was born and raised. “This is the greatest moment in my life.”

She was not alone in her emotion. There were scenes of joy at the border post yesterday as the first buses crossed the line of control since the division of Kashmir in the aftermath of India’s Partition in 1947.

Some families were being united for the first time. Hundreds of onlookers cheered and threw petals as the symbolic land link between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the capitals of Kashmir’s two halves, was restored.

But for one half-hearted grenade attack early in the day, the Islamic militants who had threatened to turn the buses into coffins were nowhere to be seen and their dire warnings were largely ignored by a population weary of conflict.

“The caravan of peace has started,” proclaimed Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, as he sent off two Muzaffarabad-bound buses, garlanded with marigolds and carrying 21 passengers, in front of a crowd of thousands braving freezing drizzle in Srinagar. “Nothing can stop it.”

The militants tried. On Wednesday, fearing that the bus link would undermine their battle against Indian rule, they stormed the heavily guarded government hostel in Srinagar where the passengers were staying for their own protection.

Five terrified passengers dropped out at the last minute. The militants threw a grenade and fired shots as the buses neared the town of Singhpura.

But nobody was hurt and the militants proved no match for the thousands of heavily armed troops who lined the entire 180km (110 mile) route along the Jhelum River valley.

The buses, escorted by armoured vehicles and lorryloads of soldiers, stopped for lunch at the Indian town of Salamabad. Children waved flags, music played and cooks prepared a traditional feast.

In every village and town there were people cheering, whistling and waving. At the Kaman bridge — painted a neutral white for the occasion — Indian and Pakistani flags fluttered as passengers dismounted and walked across the line of control that has long divided this Himalayan land.

Later, another bus arrived from Muzaffarabad, its 31 passengers bound for Srinagar.

On both sides of the militarised border, in an area that was once shelled almost daily, crowds of locals gathered on the sides of the rocky Pir Panjal mountains to watch divided families greeting each other for the first time in decades, if ever.

Sharif Hussain Bukhari, a retired Pakistani high court judge, was overwhelmed when he saw his sister and a niece at the post. He wept and hugged them for several minutes. “I have seen my niece for the first time,” he said in a voice choked with emotion.

“There is a risk but I am taking the risk so that this bus is the first step towards a resolution of Kashmir. The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall.” Most of the passengers travelling to Srinagar were elderly men and women who were reuniting with their family members after more than five decades. They were largely undaunted by the threat of attack. Shahid Bahar, a lawyer from Muzaffarabad, said: “I can’t control my emotion. I am setting foot in my motherland.”

Mr Bahar, whose father crossed over in 1949, said: “I am coming here for the first time to meet my blood relations. It was my dream. It is unbelievable. Everyone is here.”

The inauguration of the bus service, which will run twice a month, marked the biggest advance yet in the peace process that Mr Singh’s predecessor, Atal Behari Vajpayee, began two years ago in the same Srinagar stadium from which yesterday’s buses left.

“A door has opened,” Mr Singh said in an address delivered from behind bullet-proof glass. “Pakistan, and especially President General Pervez Musharraf, have helped us open this door and without their support, the door would not have opened. This is the beginning of a new phase. Violence is not going to solve any problems.” Sikandar Hayat, the Pakistani sector’s Prime Minister, called the restoration of the bus service an historic step. “I hope they (India’s leaders) read the writing on the wall and fulfil their responsibility with regard to international politics.”

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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

so there will be a dedicated human armor system spanning the entire distance? that seems like a huge amount of resources allocated to a single bus route. imagine if these bus tickets were not subsidized.

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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

Pathetic!

These Congress-wala's have also renamed Kaman Bridge to please these Pakistani's in Kashmir! We will never forget the the chivalry of Lt Col Kaman Singh who inflicted a crushing defeat on the Pakistani invaders, and not let these people hand over our lands to these people.

Bring back the BJP!

Sun re Sajania....
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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

good article mady.

and Gupta, interesting to note here what many pakistanis have against Mush, based on assumptions, is exactly what many indians have against their govt, based on assumptions. why are we such a skeptical people? there can be resolution of of problems and peace without barring the other side of the story too...

Tu ...
Tu ...
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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

haris zuberi, we Indian’s have abandoned the Pundits and allowed jihadi terrorists to board buses to come to Kashmir, all to make this peace with Pakistani’s. We have stabbed the Tibetan’s in the back, and allowed our territory to be kept by the Chinese. What have we got back in return! We will never forget how Musharraf refused to shake the hand of Atal ji when he went to Lahore, and Kargil!

would u marry a guy..
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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

Get a life. Don’t you have a phone bill to pay or something?

PS. it’s my recollection that Musharaf actually walked across the podium to shake the hand of a startled Vajpayee during one of the meets.

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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

Maddy, what is your reading of these developments? What do you foresee happening now?

Thanks for sharing.

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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

paratha ji, Bushaarraf is an expert in trying to make Indian leaders look bad. He made a lousy attempt at trying to show sri Atal ji up but he was not successful! These congress walas are so easy to fool on the other hand because they are led by foreigners and turncoats who are selling our nation down the river.

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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

why are u mad mate? is it because we r getting F-16’s …don’t worry u will get even more weapons from USA…is it because Musharraf is being considered important leader …is it because of kargil…or is it because u hate pakistan…chill out buddy…be happy

All i know is that i am very happy that relations b/w india and pakistan and thawing and getting better…lets hope it remains the same…
i love india and indians.. jai hind :jhanda:

punjabian Da Thread e.g/ Me, Phati,...ect
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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

It is most idiotic to compare the Berlin wall to LOC? The Berlin wall was a demarcation line between USA and Soviet Union. One of the two parties collapsed, the wall was automatically bound to vanish.

What has actually happened between India and Pakistan in last one-two years that we are looking like two lost brothers, met after a long time. Pak parliamentarians are praising India and Indian system, whereas some idiot in India is planning to present a portrait of Musharraf to him, the artist has made with his own blood. This is happening when the Kashmir bus is crossing LOC.

Has Pakistan stopped supporting terror activities in India? No.
Has India agreed to compromise on Kashmir? No.

Then, what the hell this spectacle we are performing? I think we have to amuse the West and especially USA, something that we both countries are doing very smartly.

I feel sorry for this bus scenario, will definitely end in bloodshed. To resolve any issue, first of all we need a will, that we both countries lack very badly./

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homer sahib i do not hate Pakistan at all. I think our government should be not be discussing Kashmir at all with them. Mushi says he wants to come to watch the cricket, then when he is invited he says he will discuss Kashmir with manmahon singh who says fine! We have a feeble government in India we have.

When Advani ji becomes PM he will put your dictator in place!

ROFL
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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

well our dictator is not for a crook like Advani to put in place. and congress is the leadership that made your country a hit in the past. now you hate them. or is it just that any friendship or compromise to resolve issues for the sake of humanity is unwelcome by you and, egos more imp than lives...?

well it wasnt for him to shake his hand at that time. Nawaz Sharif was Vajpayee's counterpart and he shook his hand. even hugged him if i recall right. Mush was the military chief and his men were in combat with Vajpayee's army, no military commander in the world's history would have shaken hands in such a position.
later when Mush was Vajpayee's counterpart, he shook his hand for friendship, while Vajpayee was taken by surprise as he had no intention of shaking hands for no good reason, as there was no war at that time, and Mush was the man to shake hands with. if it made Vajpayee look bad, it was because good actions and intentions make one look good and bad intentions and actions make one look bad. simple fact of life.

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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

Haris, gupta is a troll nick. thought everyone knew that.

As far as comparisons with the Berlin wall goes, why are we limiting ourself to the LoC? Isnt the international border a "Berlin Wall" in its own right?

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The congress government will go like Deve gowda’s UF, and then there will be elections and the BJP will be back in power again. Only they can stand up for India and stop sucking upto minorities and Pakistan. Then all of Kashmir will be ours again. :)

Spell Pakistan correct-Haris

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Re: "The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall"

Forget it Gupta.. there is no way full of kashmir can be ours. We have already ceded part of it to China.. and other part is occupaid by Pakistan. And Indian cannot afford to get into a conflict with Pakistan at this point.
Why cant we just live in peace. Let Hindustan and Pakistan co-exist side by side. Just convert the LOC to the international border and we live with IOK and they live with POK. And then have a porous border so that the Kashmiris can go through it without hardship.
This is the only way out. Neither is the militants going to win in Kashmir neither would Indian needs to harbour the thought that we want the anex the POK to Indian union.

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Re: “The line of control could fall like the Berlin Wall”

These are self-styled interpretation of some events.
During Lahore bus meeting,..Musharraf as an army chief suggested Nawaz of saluting Vajpei at Govt office, that he actually did…this is the clarification of Musharraf himself.

During Musharraf visit to India, the soldier who accompanied Musharraf at Guard of honor ceremony was one and half feet taller to Musharraf, he was specially recruited for this job to give a clear cut massage to Musharraf of his size.

In Nepal Musharraf created a spectacle by shaking hands with Vajpei unceremoniously…You forget the Vajpei’ reply…you need to be matured. You have forgotten how foolish Musharraf’ face was the moment.

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Guptajee, what BJP actually did all these years to safeguard the boundaries? Our solders were killed and carried out like animals by Bangla desh citizens. Did we send our soldiers into Bangla Desh territory to catch the culprits?
In Kashmir to kill two or three terrorists we send a full battalion and usually end in demolishing the houses where just two or three terrorists are hiding.
First we give a good see off to terrorists to Kandhar and later hand over a list of 20 terrorists in demand to Pakistan, as if only 20 terrorists are keeping the Indian State at stake.

All this comedy took place during BJP rule.

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ROFL!

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cant help but laugh…who am i to ‘self-style’ interpretations…and what for? what happened happened, deny it if you would.

yes thats true. Mush did salute Vajpayee as he was junior ot him in both rank, stature and age, thats what Mush has said. what he also said was that he didnt shake his hand at Wahgah as he was NOT PRESENT there and he couldnt have shaken his hand there even if he were, due to the reasons i mentioned in my earlier post. doig it in publis with media present, it would have a made a statement unsuitable for the events unfloding at that time.

:rotfl:
tell me youre joking.
were you the major’s battalion commander…? or was it you who came up with this bizarre idea!? you don’t seriously think your army is such a joke do you? guard of honour officers are usually chosen for their presentability and smartness of appearance an not to try and inflict something on the honour guest…if your army does that, we ought to be making an issue out of it to defame you i’m afraid. but i dont think they do, they are professional people.
and talking in your terms, how about a wrestling match between Mush and Vajpayee or Manmohan…? would be a comedy and would make the counterparts know their sizes eh :hehe:
and again, Mush is a commando, though he’s old i think he can still put a good fight against a disoriented 6 foot smthng Indian officer :smiley:

guys sorry for the nonseriousness/joking here :smack: but smthngs have to be answered in like terms and lingo :smiley:

I dont remember that at all, i’m sorry. i forget who looked like a fool.
and what was it that the fool replied that left the not so foolish commando command waves upon waves of appreciation from all over the world…? who was the fool again…?

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the commando bit is just too much. :hehe: