M. M Khajooria
‘The Million march on Kashmir’ in London disaster not only embarrassed Pakistani establishment but upset many political and diplomatic initiatives crafted to fallow ‘the march’ whose success was taken for granted. The rebuff delivered by a critical constituency that gave birth to Kashmir Liberation Front heralding the era of subversion and sabotage within Jammu and Kashmir that finally graduated into full blown terrorism was particularly shocking for Pakistan. From all accounts, ISI and its collaborators licking their wounds had decided to lie low for some time on the external front and wait for an appropriate opportunity to make the next move. In the meantime LoC would be kept alive and spaced but newsworthy terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir combined with street action escalated.
Ironically, the break on the diplomatic front Pakistan was praying and waiting for came as an unsolicited gift from a most unexpected quarter. While addressing the India Economic Summit in New Delhi on 5th November, defence Minister, Arun Jaitley did the trick that “Pakistan would have to decide whether to talk to India or to Kashmiri separatists” he said adding that “unless Pakistan makes a conscious choice, a dialogue with Pakistan will not be possible.” There you are. The ‘K’ issue is back on the international stage courtesy our own Defence Minister. Jaitley is a highly accomplished political being in a very responsible position. May be he should enlighten the nation about what prompted him to do what he did in the Economic Summit?
Predictably pat came the Pak response the very next day. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said the dialogue between the two sides “is not a favour that one country does to the other”. No problem with that. Watch out for her next assertion “Dialogue between Pakistan and India is a necessity for peace in this region so that South Asia also focuses on economic development and welfare of the people.”Madam Tasnim must be joking. Pakistan is the epicenter of international terrorism as also its exporter striving for peace in the region. Here is what the latest Pentagon assessment presented to US Congress says “Afghan and Indian focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional security (Emphasis provided)” “Pakistan also uses these proxies to hedge against the loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter Indian superior military”. That is how your country’s concern “for peace in the region” translates into action. Remember USA is the country which sustains Pakistan economically as well as militarily.
The Pak spokesperson went on to say “We do not accept any conditionality. Kashmiris are not Indian separatists as they are the people in occupied territory struggling for their right to self-determination that has been recognised by the United Nations resolutions. Pakistan is a party to the dispute. So this contention is not acceptable.” Sorry, wrong again. The occupied territory lies on other side of the LoC. The very “UN Resolutions” Pakistan keeps harping on branded Pakistan as the aggressor and made the exercise of so-called “right of self determination” contingent upon Pakistan vacating the territory forming part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir as on 14th of August 1947, withdraw its army and irregulars etc etc. Pakistan did accept the conditional ties. That she had no intention to comply with these nor could it ever afford to do so was another matter. Peddling half truths and twisting fact had got her no where so far nor would do her any good in future.
The accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India was constitutionally valid and unquestionable. Do not forget the complaint before the UNO was lodged by India at a time when Pak Army and her tribal mercenaries were on the run. It was to avert the imminent possibility of our forces chasing intruders into Pakistan territory in exercise of the internationally recognised right of ‘Hot Pursuit’ leading to a full scale war between two countries that the matter was referred to the UNO. It was a conscious unilateral initiative for peace. That in the bargain we bought eternal conflict is again another matter.
The so called separatists are over ground faces of terrorism unleashed by Pakistan in Kashmir now adopted by Pan Islamist terrorist groups whose identity was no secret. The freedom enjoyed by them as citizens of India does not extend to conspiring against their own country with hostile neighbour waging proxy war since about a quarter century. Pakistan High Commissioner did wrong when he invited them but the Indian state was equally remiss, in fact terribly remiss in performing its duty by failing to restrain them from meeting the Pak High Commissioner for a purpose that was patently anti national and attracted many provisions of criminal law. This should not and will not be allowed to be happen in future. Both Pakistan government and her indigenous agents take note.
