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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 27, 2004

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International - India & World

Indian jurist's call to Pakistan legal community

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 26. The legal community in Pakistan must prepare the people of the country to accept the conversion of the Line of Control into permanent border, according to Adish C. Aggarwala, who is heading a 15-member Indian delegation of lawyers and former judges to Pakistan.

He made the proposal at a news conference attended by members of the Pakistan Bar Association and the provincial Bar Councils.

The remarks seem to have stirred a hornet's nest here. As journalists sought details of the proposal, other members of the Indian delegation disassociated themselves from the statement, saying it was Mr. Aggarwala's "personal view." They said they were on a "goodwill mission" and the visit did not involve any discussion on policy issues.

The delegation arrived here from Lahore on Saturday. During their three-day stay, the jurists will meet eminent people from their fraternity and interact on ways to create a congenial atmosphere for improvement of ties between India and Pakistan.

`Practical solution'

In support of his idea, Mr. Aggarwala said that despite innumerable rounds of negotiations at the Government level, India and Pakistan had not been able to arrive at a mutually-acceptable solution on Kashmir.

"Conversion of LoC is the only practical solution for both countries to move ahead. It is the responsibility of civil society in general and lawyers in particular to prepare the public for acceptance of status quo and pave way for the Governments to formalise the arrangement."

The legal fraternity can play a major role in resolving disputes, including Kashmir, between the two countries.

It should advise the two Governments to cut defence expenditure and spend the money on education, health and development.

Mr. Aggarwal said that India and Pakistan should reach a consensus on the Kashmir issue before involving the Kashmiris in it. There was no need to involve a third party, including the United Nations, to settle the dispute.

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Indian jurist's call to Pakistan legal community