Study favourstrade through 5 LoC points

It says roads that lead to these crossing points could be upgraded to permit truck traffic, assuming it is found to be commercially viable. Undertaken by PR Chari, a research professor at IPCS, a think tank in New Delhi & Hasan Askari Rizvi, a defence expert from Pakistan, now visiting professor in Washington, it is supported by parallel surveys carried out by Suba Chandran and Rashid Khan, on both sides of LoC.

Calling for re-opening pilgrimage routes in all parts of J&K, including Ladakh & Northern Areas, it also suggests “establishment of rail links between Jammu and Sialkot, between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad (and from there onward to Abbotabad & Rawalpindi).”

It recommends: Promoting people-to-people contact; increasing trade and commerce across LoC; encouraging humanitarian aid, development; improving governance, including security administration. The study is based on premise that “neither India nor Pakistan has been able to impose its preferred solution on long-standing Kashmir conflict, both sides have gradually shown more flexibility in their traditional positions on Kashmir, without officially abandoning them. This development has encouraged consideration of new, creative approaches to the management of conflict.”