M A I L B A G

Have we forgotten Kargil martyrs?

“A man is not dead until he is forgotten” says the memorial sign on the Indian Army website “www.vijayinkargil.org”.

Forgotten? yes we have. In our zeal to welcome General Musharraf we have forgotten the men who gave their life just two years back. It is the same period when our soldiers were dying one by one while recovering the positions held by Pakistani soldiers on the orders of General Musharraf. July 14th was the period when Pakistanis were withdrawing as per ceasefire.

Every newspaper is filled with stories of General Musharraf — his life, his tastes. One newspaper has even published on its front page the culinary tastes of Begum Musharraf. Not a single newspaper has cared to remember the martyrs of the day just two years back.

MANISH GARG, Noida

Why woo him?: I wish to convey my displeasure over the two Delhi legislators’ plans to woo General Musharraf to his native place in Delhi. They seem to have crossed all limits to gain cheap publicity by spending public money on beautifying the area and lanes for his visit. Have these people forgotten that he was the same man who had engineered the Kargil war in which hundreds of our soldiers had lost their lives?

AMANPREET SINGH, Bathinda

Ceasefire: There should be a separate peace summit for Kashmir. Sincere efforts should be made at the Agra summit to declare at least a five-year ceasefire.

To avoid another Kargil-like situation, a joint Indo-Pak army peace commission be appointed for the restoration of peace on our borders and to ensure that both BSF and Pakistani Rangers also help in curbing activities of the anti-national and anti-social elements, particularly in the Kashmir valley.

A. N. BAROWALIA, Shimla

Tap water resources: Signed in 1960 at Karachi by Gen Ayub Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indus Water Treaty was a trend-setter for development of water resources by the two countries and it constituted the first stage. Much remains to be done both with regard to the utilisation of water for irrigation and also on the hydro-power front.

At present more than 60 MAF of water flows unutilised into the sea every year and we have barely tapped 15 per cent of the hydel power available in J&K. The full potential of that region is put at 8825 MW.

G. S. DHILLON, Chandigarh

Dangerous views: A professor from Islamabad University has suggested on a TV channel that partition of Jammu and Kashmir is a left over work of partition of India in 1947. In his views, massacre of people remained incomplete at that time and that massacre is to be completed now. Such views are dangerous.,

BIRENDER SINGH SONTI, Kurukshetra

Peace makers: Real peacemakers are TV personalities like Barkha Dutta and Rajdeep Sardasai, who are doing a great service to society by not only giving us the facts but also reaching to the hearts of people weather in Karachi or in Kashmir.

KARANVIR BHULLAR, Chandigarh

No war: The summit beginning should be with open arms. “No war, no more killings” should be the motto. Illiteracy, poverty and unemployment are common problems for India and Pakistan. Both countries should spend money on economic development and building infrastructure.

"Chhorho kal ki baaten, kal ki baat purani

Naye daur se likhegay hum mil kar nai kahani.”

S. K. HANS, Jalandhar

Play games: Both countries should increase cultural tours. Not only in cricket but in other games also players should be free to participate. Kabbadi is popular on both sides of the border.

Both the country should declare the list of prisoners of the other country and free all before the meet. The students of both countries should be allowed to get admissions in universities and colleges on the other side of the border.

Indian and Pakistani films should be allowed in theatres of both countries. Sikh devotees be allowed entry into Pakistan throughout the year.

GURDEEP SINGH JOHAL, by e-mail

Economic downturn: What price Pakistan is ready to pay now for the much needed peace in the subcontinent? For being repeatedly at war against India, its own economic growth has fallen below 2.6 per cent and its external debt has risen up to $ 27 billion.

The people on both sides of the border need respite now. General Musharraf says being a military man he knows more about the economy of war!

SUBHASH BARU, Jammu

Priorities: The total closure of cross-border terrorism, the ISI’s operations and infiltration of drugs trafficking should be discussed on priority.

YUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, Faridabad