The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) announced over the weekend a major airlift of
relief supplies for Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.In response to a request from Islamabad,
NATO decided to set up 'a major strategic airlift' relief operation, which a statement by the NATO Secretary General in Brussels described as 'something unprecedented in NATO's history.'
NATO will deploy a battalion of engineers with equipment, will add a number of helicopters to the 40 already in operation from its member countries, and will also send 'deployable headquarters' that will help the United Nations with 'planning, command and control and logistics' for the relief efforts.
The scope of NATO's involvement is such that the alliance is virtually assuming the role of the overall coordinator of external assistance from the international community, including the UN, reaching the
earthquake -affected regions in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The NATO forces'
deployment in a region that provides sanctuaries to Kashmiri
militants arouses interest. The militants' 'infrastructure' is reportedly in serious disrepair.On the other hand, an interesting possibility arises -- the international community acting as watchdog 'breaking mechanism' against any surreptitious Pakistani attempt to resuscitate the militant infrastructure. The stationing of 'neutral observers' along the LOC was something that Pakistan had long argued for, but India was sceptical.
Thus, the deployment of NATO
forces in Kashmir at Pakistan's unilateral request carries much symbolism if the post-earthquake dealings between Pakistan and NATO proceed to move on to an institutionalised level of partnership in 'promoting peace' .
From India's point of view, of course, this is the first time that NATO forces come to its border region. India had close to four years to get used to NATO's presence within earshot of its borders -- in Afghanistan. Now a new threshold of 'acquaintance' is reached
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