Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged the government to take the lead and retract its troops from Siachen glacier, the disputed and undemarcated region of Kashmir.
“Let’s not make it a matter of ego. Pakistan should take the initiative,” The Express Tribune quoted Sharif, as saying.
He recently called on both the governments of India and Pakistan to withdraw troops from the post where 138 troops and civilians were buried by a massive avalanche over a week ago.
On April 7, huge wall of snow crashed down in the Giari sector, swamping the battalion headquarters of 6 Northern Light Infantry, where 124 soldiers and 14 civilians were stationed.
According to the report, the incident swung a spotlight onto the 65-year-old conflict between Pakistan and India, and ignited debates on the futility of the battle on ‘Earth’s ceiling’ for over two decades.
Sharif said that both countries should solve the Siachen issue and the billions of rupees being spent on the war should be directed towards people’s prosperity.
Senior leaders of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) including Senator Mushahidullah, Marvi Memon, Mehtab Abbasi and Pervez Rasheed, supported him.
ANI
First Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 11:09