Background

Recently, India and Pakistan have been exchanging fire across the border despite a ceasefire. Even today, Pakistan shot across the border at the Narain Border Post. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, and things have gotten even more sour recently with Pakistan calling on the United Nations to come intervene to help create peace.

Normally, during religious occasions, and other holidays, the two sides exchange sweets as a sign of goodwill. They have been doing so since 2003, the year the ceasefire was put in place on the International Border and the Line of Control in Kashmir.

The News

The Indian Army refused to exchange sweets on the Attari Border because of the ceasefire. At the Kaman post (in north Kashmir)  the Pakistani Army refused to accept Diwali sweets from the Indian Border Security Force.

“In the light of the present scenario with Pakistan, India has decided not to offer sweets to Pakistan on the eve of Diwali,” Ashok Kumar explained to PTI.

The two sides did not exchange sweets on Eid either as Pakistan did not initiate a transfer.

Conclusion

This may seem like a small gesture that was not carried out, but it points to a larger issue of disturbed stability in India-Pakistan relations. Unless action is taken by both international actors and diplomats on both sides to diffuse the conflict, things could escalate quickly.

Twenty individuals have already lost their lives and countless others have been affected by the recent ceasefire violations. If both countries cannot cooperate even on days like Diwali and Eid, we can only imagine where the conflict is headed.

[Image Attribute: San Sharma cc]