‘No alternative to peace’

Islamabad : All eyes are on the Himalayan region after the deadly clash between China and India at the Galwan Valley in the disputed Kashmir territory. Military advancement was not directed to India per se, however, it counterweights US sponsored Indo-Specific regime in the South Asian region.

These were the views expressed by the participants of a webinar organized by the Institute of Regional Studies here in Islamabad on Thursday, says a press release.

They said that there is no scope of large scale escalation as both China and India are now restrained to their specific positions at the Line of Actual Control. India is not going to threaten Aksai Chin and Beijing too has no plan of military offenses at Arunachal Pradesh.

“Islamabad, should be cautious and fully prepared for a backlash as the relations between New Delhi and Islamabad are already at the lowest ebb,” said senior diplomat Ambassador (r) Riaz Muhammad Khan.

Senior defence analyst, Lt. Gen. Asif Yasin Malik was of the view that China has actually challenged the US sponsored Indo-Specific security regime. China through its own Asia Pacific security is bringing all the states into its ‘shared destiny’ the Belt and Road Initiative. India on the other hand, is striving to gain its lost prestige and its partnership with the US has provided a room for strategic supremacy in the region, however, with the changing geo-strategic and geo-political scenarios have significantly reduced New Delhi’s chances, said Yasin Malik.

In contrast, Dr, Mujeeb Afzal, an expert on Indian politics argued the recent border clash between China and India has not brought a drastic changed geo-strategic milieu as New Delhi will continue to strengthen its position in the region.

On the issue of Kashmir, Dr. Afzal concluded that the issue is largely depended on the people of Kashmir. Indian Muslims, opposition parties and the Supreme Court of India too has a role to play.

While concluding the discussion, Ambassador Riyaz, Acting President of the Institute said that the South Asia is a strategically important and a complex region. There are many regional disputes remain unsettled.