Gary Fitleberg, December 7, 2003

There is new hope in Kashmir that troops from India and Pakistan will soon leave.

If all goes well the dream may even become reality as soon as tomorrow.

Pakistan would withdraw its forces from the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir if rival India does, according to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

"India has 700,000 troops in Kashmir. We have only 50,000 troops in Kashmir. Let's both remove (the troops)," President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said. "Let's start from tomorrow."

The Pakistani leader's comments, made during a radio phone-in program, come amid escalating peace efforts by the South Asian neighbors, including a cease-fire that began last week.

But despite the easing of tension, the two countries would be unlikely to agree to a complete withdrawal of forces until an overall settlement of the dispute, which has been the source of two of their three wars.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and supporting Islamic terrorists who have been fighting Indian rule in its portion of Kashmir since 1989. Pakistan denies giving material help to the terrorists, saying it lends only diplomatic support.

More than 60,000 people have been killed during the 14-year insurgency, which has continued despite the cease-fire on the Line of Control by the Indian and Pakistani armies.

Pakistan's leader, who took power in a bloodless military coup in this Islamic nation in 1999, said that Pakistan and India had to leave their historical differences behind.

"I have always been saying that if we have a bitter history, which has bitterness, it is better to forget it and think ahead," Musharraf said.

In the latest reconciliation move, India and Pakistan agreed Monday to restore air links by Jan. 1, two years after the nuclear rivals ended all transportation links amid tensions that took them to the brink of a fourth war.

Perhaps the removal of troops by both India and Pakistan will help pave the way towards a long-term negotiated peace agreement between the two neighboring nations and There may be light at the end of the tunnel but let’s see what happens as early as tomorrow.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2003 Gary Fitleberg