Nawaz Sharif must act

Even as the just sworn-in Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Nawaz Sharif, has been issuing statements of reconciliation with India, his Army has yet again breached the ceasefire along the line of Control and shot an Indian soldier. It is entirely possible that the Pakistani Army, which has never really wanted good relations between New Delhi and Islamabad, has deliberately violated peace at the loC with the definite purpose of derailing the goodwill that Mr Sharif is hoping to build with his neighbour.

This possibility is all the more realistic given the timing of the attack. The Generals of Rawalpindi have always pushed an agenda that is far removed from that of the elected Governments of Pakistan. Mr Sharif's predecessor, the Pakistan Peoples Party’s regime, for all its stated desire to have friendly ties with India, could do nothing to counter the Army's hold on policy matters regarding New Delhi. It remains to be seen whether Mr Sharif will be any different. The recent incident is as good as any for him to take a stand.

There is no leader in Pakistan who is better placed than him to understand his Army's devious designs; he was, after all deposed by Rawalpindi when he dared to question the Kargil misadventure. If he does not take a tough line now, it will be difficult for New Delhi to push through the peace measures that it may have in the pipeline. Moreover, Mr Sharif's silence will be interpreted by many as buckling to the Army within days of taking charge. History has shown that it becomes difficult for a democratically elected leader of Pakistan to stand up to the Army after ceding ground in the initial stages. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto learnt that with disastrous effect; just as Benazir Bhutto realised after she tried to strike an independent line, but not before cosying up to the Army and helping terror elements that enjoyed the Army's patronage, to foment trouble and violence in Jammu & Kashmir. 

It is possible that Pakistan's Prime Minister does not want to confront the powerful Army at this early stage of his tenure, because he will need its support in the various measures he plans to take in getting the economy back on track and later re-writing the Government-Army relationship. But his silence now will only embolden the Army to take more provocative steps. Already, in just four days during the last week of May, well after Mr Sharif was set to become the Prime Minister, Pakistan's Army fired on Indian positions along the loC on several occasions.

That provocation, as well the latest one, has thankfully not led — at least until now — to a crisis that can halt the dialogue process. But there is no saying the situation will hold if more such violations continue to occur with similar alarming frequency. And they will, if Pakistan's Prime Minister does not act. As far as India is concerned, it must not lower its guard in its exuberance over Mr Sharif's various claims of friendship. This is all the more crucial given that the annual Amarnath Yatra begins in a few weeks’ time.