Military factor deters India aid: experts: Relief efforts in Kashmir
By Jawed Naqvi
NEW DELHI, Oct 9: Despite high-level conjectures of support Pakistan and India cannot possibly seek aid from each other in the devastated regions of disputed Kashmir because of the heavy military component inherent in such help, Indian officials and analysts claimed on Sunday.
“I don’t see any possibility ever that Indian army personnel would be allowed into Gilgit or Baltistan for any help in the earthquake,” former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan G. Parthasarthy told a TV channel.
“Similarly I cannot foresee any permission by India to Pakistan army personnel to provide help in Kupwara or Baramullah,” Mr Parthasarthy, a former army official, said.
A former officer of the Indian Air Force expressed the view that since Pakistan urgently needs more helicopters to reach out to remote devastated areas in Azad Kashmir it could easily requisition help from the Indian military.
“If there are apprehensions over Indian pilots flying over Pakistani territory, they could always put an observer or two in the helicopters,” the officer said. Pakistan officials say Islamabad has requisitioned helicopters from the Britain the United States, and they were said to be on the way.
Indian news reports said the foreign secretaries of both the affected countries were in contact with each other on their recently installed telephone hotline. No details were available.
Kashmiri resistance leaders have rushed to the Uri sector in Baramullah to help out with the relief operations. A statement by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s spiritual leader said Uri was the worst hit region this side of the LOC. Special prayers were offered for the victims.
Indian officials say about 600 people have been killed in Saturday’s earthquake this side of LOC. Independent reports said the full extent of the tragedy was not yet known.
