Honorary Captain (retd) Bana Singh, the man who won Siachen glacier for India, vouches for peaceful and amicable solution to the long pending row over the world’s highest battlefield.
Ahead of Indo-Pak defence secretary talks on Siachen, Bana, the winner of highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra (PVC) for the Siachin battle in 1987, told DNA that the war is no solution to any problem.
“War means bloodshed and it is not going to benefit anyone. Particularly Pakistan which suffered huge losses in 1987 war. Musharaf (former president of Pakistan) was brigade commander then but he totally failed. So both sides should sit across together and solve the issue amicably”, said Bana, a Naib Subadiar 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), who was conferred honorary captain rank before his retirement for displaying exemplary gallantry and valor.
The Siachen hero, who lives post retirement life at his ancestral village in RS Pora of Jammu, said the best solution for Siachen problem is that both India and Pakistan should remain posted where they are currently.
“Both sides should remain where they are currently. Positions should remain the same. This is an amicable solution that both sides could work on. I jokingly say that we do not have to cultivate potatoes there. It is a difficult area with hostile weather. So why should we fight on?” he asked.
Situated at 20,000 feet, the glacier has a 122km border with Pakistan which is called actual ground position line (AGPL). Also known as world highest battlefield, India and Pakistan have fought bloody wars in 1984 and 1987.
In 1987, Pakistani army suffered major defeat when the Indian army led by Singh captured their “Quaid” post located at 21153 feet which was later renamed “Bana” post.
The Siachen glacier is one of the contentious issues between India and Pakistan with both countries paying a heavy cost for maintaining and guarding the icy peaks in harsh conditions where temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees.
However, for the last eight years, the 150km AGPL in Siachen, is witnessing calm following the border cease-fire in 2003. Before that the AGPL was a regular battlefield with both armies exchanging artillery and small arms fire to pin each other down.
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