On the paper, this agreement between India and China may sound good which includes a provision to fight against terrorism together.  However, I wonder if this means that China will not support non-state terrorists in Pakistan who are creating havoc on the LoC.  Does it also mean that China will declare the activities of heads of JeM, Let and other such organization as illegal?  Is this agreement based on some sincere desire to eradicate terrorism from the region or is it just an eyewash to placate their own people and divert the attention to some other avenue?This writer is very apprehensive about the intention of Chinese government.India should not cave in under the pretext of this agreement unless India observes real efforts on the part of Chinese authorities to help India about eradicating terrorism.

CPEC loan/investment is a honey-trap for Pakistan.  The loan has been given to Pakistan at a very high interest rate along with many other stringent conditions.  They are building coal generated energy plants in Pakistan whereas they are getting out of this source of energy in China because of environmentally damaging effect of it.  Under no circumstances, Pakistan will be able to pay back that loan to China which means Pakistan has to cave in and lease Pakistani territory around CPEC to China on a long term basis.  Pakistan should have learnt this lesson from Sri Lanka, Angola, Malasia, Indonesia where China tried to play the same trick of investing money to upgrade infrastructure in those territories.Unfortunately, that analysis was not done and now they are in the lap of their big brother China for ever

Finally, Mr. Abdullah has admitted that Kashmir needs more investment and more jobs to keep the youths in the state occupied.  However, he still refrained from saying what the actual cause of ill-investment in the state is, and i.e. Articles 370 and 35A.  Mr. Abdullah and his sycophants do not have to take two steps forward to bring investment in the state which thus will create jobs for the youths, only one step will be sufficient and that will be to cooperate with the central government and help them delete those two above cited Articles from the Indian Constitution.  Rest will follow, and he can be rest assured of ever lasting peace, tranquility and stability in the region.  Can Mr. Abdullah swallow this bitter pill? Since he has admitted that Kashmir is part of India, then why does that state need special status?

Mrs. Mufti's comment provides an implied impression of anti-cbentral government's intention of not doing anything to bring peace in the Kashmir region. She is forgetting that the Indian government has been trying to bring peace and tranquility in the region since 1947. It is Pakistani establishment which is creating all sorts of stumbling block on this issue. As she pointed out, Mr. Vajpayee attempt also to achieve this objective, then there was a violation on the LoC which derailed that effort also. Yes, Imran Khan said during his inaugration address that if India takes one step to bring stablity and peace in the region, Pakistan will take two steps in that direction. But my opinion is that Pakistan does not have to take two steps, it has to take only one step first that is to control all terrorist activities on the LoC and punish all non-state militant actors in Pakistan . Everything else will follow.

Mr. Farooq Abdullah's comments and emphasis seem to be addressing the Indian government for lack of initiative for furthering peace and tranquility in the region.  By citing what Mr. Bajpayee did during his tenure, he is blaming the Modi government for not following the same foot steps to improve the situation in Kashmir.  Even though his family's three generations were on the throne of Kashmir, they did not do anything to bring and maintain long lasting peace in Kashmir.  He should know that peace comes when there are two parties willing to sincerely ready to shake hands to achieve this mission.  India has been trying since 1947 to achieve this objective, but it is the Pakistani government not showing the same response.  To some extent, the civilian governments tried to bring peace by improving relations with India, but, unfortunately the nexus of Pakistani military/ISI appeared to be a big stumbling block on the way.  They do not want to improve relations with India.  Whenever, there was a little sign of relief in this respect, the Pakistani establishment created problem at the LoC.  What Mr. Imran Khan can and cann't do in this matter, only the time will tell.  But this writer is not going to hold his breath.  In my opinion, the relations between India and Pakistan cann't improve till the organizational chart in Pakistan changes which means the Pakistani military/ISI becomes subservient to the civilian government.

The big problem in the state of J &K is the existence of two Articles - 370 and 35A.  The provisions under these two Articles prohibit and block the appearance of prosperity and tranquility in that part of India.  Unfortunately, the politicians for their own selfish motive and prestige are playing a party partisan game and do not favor a revocation of these two Articles.  Hence, the continuation and existence of chaotic situation in the state.  Innocent people are being killed on a daily basis.  Public and private properties are being destroyed in front of the eyes of these selfish politicians and they do not even ready to blink, and take a decisive action to remedy the situation. How unfortunate?  When these two Articles were inserted into the Indian Constitution, the timing was different.  Now with the advent of changing time, one should change and make appropriate provisions to set the record in order.  Those who do not change with the time, stay behind.  Is that what the local government wants for the people of Kashmir?  Revocation of these two Articles is the only solution to bring peace, prosperity and tranquility in Kashmir.  THE BALL IS IN THE COURT OF POLITICIANS- ESPECIALLY THE POLITICIANS AT THE STATE LEVEL

What Mrs. Mufti is doing the right thing.  Too many relatives in the government is a recipe for disaster.  However, changing the guards is not the only solution to the problem her state is facing.  The problem is lack of jobs for the youngsters there which creates frustration and out of this frustration destructive activities develops.  People across the border exploit this frustration of youths to achieve their political objective.  Unfortunately, creation of jobs needs a little reshuffling of governments' set mind.  Central and local governments have to take some constructive actions to create jobs and that can be done only by inviting external investment in the state.  It is doable with the revocation of an Article 370 and Clause #35A.  Local government has to decide whether it wants to see prosperity in the state or continue experience a chaotic life under the status quo.  This decision is not tough, all it needs for the decision makers is to set aside party politics and think about the people of J & K- delete the above Article from the Indian Constitution and see how prosperity and tranquility take place so quickly.