LoC ceasefire.

THE Pakistan-India relationship is known for its complexity and bitterness, but there are times when surprises of a more positive kind are sprung. The recent decision by both militaries to honour the 2003 ceasefire along the LoC certainly qualifies as a pleasant surprise, considering the acrimony that has marked relations of recent.

In a joint statement released after hotline contact between the respective directors general military operations, 'both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements... along the LoC and all other sectors'. Considering that two years ago on this date both nuclear-armed rivals were at the brink of war, this is a welcome development. Moreover, too many innocent lives have been lost in cross-border shelling and ceasefire violations last year.

The move has not gone unnoticed, with the US State Department spokesman welcoming the move and encouraging continued 'efforts to improve communication between the two sides'. Washington has also urged Islamabad and New Delhi to hold direct parleys on Kashmir.

It is difficult to say in concrete terms whether this development is the result of bilateral backchannel contacts between Pakistan and India, or if the new US administration has 'nudged' both actors to try and resolve their differences. Regardless of the impetus, the fact that both sides are talking instead of facing off at the border heralds a welcome change in the region, especially if the bellicosity that was emerging from New Delhi not too long ago is remembered.

And while the statement covers purely military matters along the LoC, buried within it are...