It seems that the high fire will remain, at least in the short term.
As Islamabad and Nueva Delhi withdrawn with caution from the precipice of a complete war, conversations between senior military officials have continued to build on work based on the diplomatic intervention of the Trump administration.
The most immediate relief is that the two parties seem to have recognized that, despite the respective statements of political leadership, the rest in hostilities does not have an ‘expiration date’ and will be fulfilled without a recurring need for formal renewal.
Meanwhile, the DGMO in Pakistan and India are in contact to ensure that the high fire can become more “sustainable.” The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they have maintained periodic contact and agreed to develop a structured mechanism for decallation. This will probably imply a gradual reduction of forward displays and regular troops along the international border, with the Pakistan rangers and the border security force of India that soon resume normal operations.
These are, of course, positive signs. A gradual return to normal will allow the two states to reflect on the recent crisis and, hopefully, find a mutually acceptable means to address their root causes so that the region is not on the edge of the nuclear conflict in the future. It will also provide the necessary breathing space to reduce rhetoric and forward public attention on the general landscape.
India is expected to realize that the status quo is not in anyone’s strategic interests, and that continuing to fueling hostilities instead of eliminating irritants of the equation will only create more difficulties over time, not only for the two states but also for the southern region of Asia. There is a strong incentive not to allow the feelings of greater acrimony to delay and reinforce military reduction with some soft measures.
He has been encouraging to observe that the Afghan traffic trade has resumed across the border with Wagah-Attari. The Sijs pilgrims, in particular, have hoped that the thaw will lead to the reopening of the Kartarpur corridor, which New Delhi had closed, to allow Indian pilgrims to have access to the sanctuary of Guru Nanak in Pakistan.
While the Delibera official and conversations, there is no reason for people to be deprived of the benefits of trade and spiritual pilgrimages. Public feelings of animosity for the other, worsened by recent events, must be carefully calibrated if there is a commitment to find lasting solutions to existing problems.
Allowing people contact can help greatly in this regard. Both countries have closely approached an advance in their problems in the past, and there is no reason for not happening again. It may require a lot of hard work, but it is certainly not impossible.
Posted in Dawn, May 20, 2025
