Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam
Raju on Thursday welcomed Pakistan
Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's call for both nations to demilitarise
the world's highest battlefield at the Siachen glacier on their international
border.
Pallam Raju said that maintaining the
high-altitude battlefield was a massive economic strain on both countries, and
a mutual decision to demilitarise would ensure that the funds hitherto spent on
Siachen would be put to better use.
"I am glad that our neighbouring
country Pakistan
is also realising the challenges of, and the economic problems of maintaining
troops on the Siachen glacier. They have their concerns, we have our concerns,
but it does definitely take an economic toll. This money can be better spent on
the development of both countries," he told the media in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, former Indian army official,
Lieutenant-General (retd) PN Hoon, echoing similar sentiments said that Siachen
notched more soldier casualties due to its environment than due to actual
combat.
"Our troops that have been there
have been through hell, much more than the Pakistan Army. The Pakistan Army
(has suffered) because of the avalanche, so have we. The casualties out of 100,
they will be 70 casualties, which are for bad weather, high altitude and
avalanches, and only 30, which are for (combat). We are spending also. We are
spending 6-7 crores a day. Have we become such rich nations today?"
Lieutenant-General (retd) Hoon told the media in Chandigarh.
Pakistan's army
chief had earlier on Wednesday made a call for the demilitarisation of the
world's highest battlefield after touring the site of an avalanche that buried
129 Pakistani soldiers near the border with India.
Noting that withdrawal of troops from
Siachen is necessary to improve 'atmosphere', he said 'the issue' needs to be
resolved by Pakistan and India.
Indian and Pakistani troops have been
engaged in a standoff on Siachen since 1984.
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