Clamour to restore JK’s ties with Silk Route go shriller
‘It Will Improve Relations With China, Boost State’s Economy’
ARIF SHAFI WANI
Srinagar, May 15: As borders globally are gradually becoming irrelevant in view economic recession, clamour for restoration of the Silk Route-Kashmir’s oldest trade and cultural link with the Central Asia, is becoming shriller.
Silk Route is an extensive network of trade routes passing through Ladakh to Europe via Central Asia. Extending over 4,000 miles this great international highway was instrumental in trans-cultural dialogue, human integration, and importantly the link of Kashmir with Central Asia. The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade along it.
The recommendation to open the Silk Route has been made by a seven member team of experts of the Kashmir University’s Centre of Central Asian Studies, which over the years conducted an extensive survey to gather political, social and economic utility of restoring ties with the route.
The team maintains in the report ‘Silk Route Expedition Phase 3’ based of survey and responses of people of Leh-Chushul link of the Silk Route, that opening of the traditional route might prove helpful in strengthening relations between India, China and Central Asia.
The team also observed that the restrictions across the India-China Tibetan border was taking a heavy toll on the multi-crore shawl industry of Kashmir based on Pashm, which generates large portion of revenue and employment in the State, and recommended its opening to boost up the key sector.
Due to its proximity to Central Asia, Xinjiang (Eastern Turkistan) and Tibet and establishment of overland caravan routes linking the vast region, Kashmir played an important role in intercourse of political, social and cultural domains throughout ancient and medieval times.
The team headed by Dr G N Khakhi of CCAS states that in its quest to promote regional cooperation with neighbouring countries including Pakistan and China, India took certain initiatives to reopen some traditional branches of Silk Route like Srinagar-Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Rawalakot and Sikkim-China via Nathula Pass.
The expedition concentrated on to explore the possibilities of revival of age-old relationships, socio-economic aspect of scattered settlements across Leh-Chushal (Tibet) links of the Silk Route, identify and document remnants of caravan trade.
Premised on the findings of the expedition, the team deduced a strong desire of the respondents that the great cultural and technological exchange along the Silk Route needs to be revived.
“Although the team remains mindful of the politico-economic policy borders and boundaries that mediate issues of sovereignty between India-Pakistan and India—China, it seeks to make some humble recommendations,” the report stated.
“Opening of the traditional routes might prove immensely helpful in strengthening cordial relations between India and Central Asia on the one hand and India and China on the other. The then Premier (of China) Wen Jiabo’s agreement with his Indian counterpart on October 24, 2000, to iron our difference on long simmering border issue in encouraging.”
Softening of borders will reduce army deployment on both sides of the border. The expenditure thus reallocated will improve the economic lot of the people of the respective countries,” the report stated.
The report states that geographical layout of the region hinders employment avenues. “Therefore the regions need to be opened for culture and adventure tourism. Spongmik, Tangtse, Sakti and Pangong Lake shall find place in the tourist map. The existing restriction to visit these destinations shall have to be removed.”
It states that the ecological changes, recurring dry season across Changthang and restrictions across India-China Tibetan border is alarming for multi-crore shawl industry of Kashmir based on Pashm.
“This sector generates not only large portion of revenue for the State Government, but absorbs a vast number of craftsmen, middlemen and merchants of Kashmir, Ladakh and Changthang. The diversification of the sources of this raw material for exotic shawls is to be seriously considered. Khotan, Turfan and Yarkand can prove potential sources for their quality Pashm. Shrinking pastureland poses serious threat to herdsmen and Pashm trade. Efforts are to be directed towards reclamation and consolidation of pastureland,” it states.
Director Centre for Central Asian Studies (CCAS) told Greater Kashmir Dr GR Janthe expedition aimed to explore possibilities of revival of Silk Route.
He said keeping in view the focal point of Kashmir in the route, a resolution was moved by the delegates of the Area Studies Centre of India at a seminar in 2006, to establish the CCAS as nodal Centre to carry out expeditions for the rediscovery and revival of the Silk Route. He said the CCAS has covered three phases of the expedition focusing on Leh-Diskit-Turtuk-Panamic and Leh-Chushul (Tibet) links of the Silk Route.
Elaborating Dr Jan said the Soviet break up in 1991 led to the reassertion of independent regional identities on the one hand and the forces of globalization on the other. “This constantly contested and undermined it by way of globalized trade, commerce, lifestyles and behavioral patterns. This provided new impetus to the revival of the Grand Silk Route,” Dr Jan said.
Dr Jan said the role of Kashmir in the evangelization of Tibet and likewise Islamization of Kashmir via Central Asia through Silk Route was epoch making. “A mosaic of routes and sub-routes, crisscrossing over the Karakoram, the Pamirs and the Hinduskush, provided a trans-continental bridge thus facilitating multilateral exchange of exotics and ideologies,” he said.
Dr Jan said the CCAS will conduct next phase of the expedition Srinagar-Bandipora-Gurez-Tulail from next month. “If we are granted permission, our team will also travel to tracks of the Silk Route in Pakistan and China,” he said. “If Silk Route will be restored, it will uplift economic of the state,” he added
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