NEW DELHI: Former Corps Commander and leading Analyst Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain has stressed the need for brining the people of Jammu into the ambit of extensive engagement for heralding lasting peace in the State, saying they probably understood the people of Kashmir far better.
“Serious efforts are needed to be made towards providing more engagement between the civil society, youth and business communities of Jammu, Ladakh and the Valley as this could be the workable precursor before more intimate engagement between people of the region and rest of India”, Gen Hasnain observed while speaking at a round table meeting held in the national capital.
The event was organized by Lehar, a prominent Kashmir based NGO, in conjunction with Bangalore based think- tank Tawazun at the Habitat, New Delhi. The theme of the meeting was ‘The Kashmir Flashpoint : How to Resolve the Crisis’.
Prominent among those present during the meeting included Kuldip Nayyar, a former diplomat and Senior Journalist and A. S Dulat, former Chief of R&AW.
Gen Hasnain, who was ent in the sensitive border State, pointedly countered the separatist narrative, saying the change of ownership of territory was no longer possible anywhere in the world, especially by violence and therefore whatever was discussed as way forward had to be with the assumption that it was for the purpose of mainstreaming those opposed to the idea of India.
Stating that dialogue with the people was the only way forward in resolving the turbulence in J&K, General Hasnain said that “we should reduce the negativity in the environment and go back to some of the positives of the past.”
The former Corps Commander, who held a significant assignment in the Valley before reaching superannuation, said, that in 2011-12 the Army had managed to create a positive environment through its engagement and and outreach to the people. “There was a change of ethos which provided more dignity and self esteem to the people.” As per him the term ‘engagement with the people’ had no limits and every means should be found to meet all strata of societ