WHERE PEACE HINGES ON A LINE
With India and Pakistan reiterating their commitment to maintaining a ceasefire at the Line of Control, where ceasefire violations have increasingly been the norm, there is renewed attention on the line that holds the key to peace in South Asia.
This week, we recommend scholar Happymon Jacob’s The Line of Control: Travelling with Indian and Pakistani Armies. Jacob, who teaches at Jawaharlal Nehru University and is active on the Indiapakistan track 2 circuit, deploys both a personal and analytical lens in the book — documenting his story of getting access to military authorities in Pakistan, life on both sides of the 740-km line, the experiences of ordinary people who live in the region, and the rising trend of ceasefire violations and what explains it. Written in an accessible manner, Jacob’s book will be a useful perspective for those who want to ensure that the current ceasefire is sustainable.