Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department Mark Toner, briefing the newsmen on Monday in the context of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, said: “Pakistan is fighting a serious and sustained campaign against violent extremism. We do believe that they are making progress and taking steps to counter terrorist violence, but at the same time, we have been very clear that they need to target all militant groups including those that target Pakistan’s neighbours and close all safe havens.” He also dismissed the possibility of the US taking the initiative to play a facilitating role in defusing the tensions. The New York Times, which is considered an unofficial mouthpiece of the US administration, in an editorial on September 23 expressed concern on the on-going situation, and disapproved Indian attempts to build war hysteria. Nevertheless, it more or less supported the Indian stance regarding the attack on the Uri base saying, “Pakistan has denied involvement, but that rings hollow: its military has long supported terrorist groups intent on attacking India. Only a durable political solution can bring peace to the Indian side of Kashmir. As far reducing cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan, a lot depends on whether Pakistan, which received military aid from the United States, can be persuaded to stop expanding its nuclear arsenal and sponsoring terrorist groups that threaten the region.” Regrettably, it is this kind of indifference by the US and its allies to the real issue that is the root-cause of conflict (Kashmir) between Pakistan and India; toeing the Indian line on cross-border terrorism without verifying the facts encourages India to continue its oppression in Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to sustaining Indian efforts to portray Pakistan as the state sponsoring terrorism in the region and beyond. Their responses to the situation are detrimental to the cause of peace and security in the region as they view it through the prism of their own strategic and commercial interests, and India doing their bidding to check the rising influence of China in the region and at the global level. They have put blinkers on their eyes regarding Indian atrocities against the people of Kashmir who are fighting against the Indian occupation as well as the Indian-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan, notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan has provided irrefutable evidence to the UN and the US in this regard, and also shared it with powers that matter. When the Indian prime minister talks of punishing the perpetrators of the Uri attack, isolating Pakistan, mulls over revoking the Indus Basin Treaty and ending the agreement on the Most Favoured Nation between the two countries signed in 1996, it clearly indicates India pursuing a warpath. Narendra Modi surely derives encouragement from the attitude of the US and its western allies towards Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. That is why the Indian strategy to malign Pakistan and hurling threats at it revolves around a one-point agenda: the alleged sponsorship of terrorism on the Indian soil. And, unfortunately, it sells. The Uri incident is being used by India not only to portray Pakistan in the dismal colours as far as terrorism is concerned but also to hoodwink the world about the oppression let loose by its security forces in the Indian-held Kashmir. The Indian government through all available forums, particularly through the Indian media, is hell bent to portray the Uri incident as the handiwork of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Pakistan, therefore, needs to evolve an effective strategy to counter that propaganda and to unmask the real face of India before the international community in addition to adopting measures to deter India from committing the mistake of a military adventure against it. Pakistan has done well to call the Indian bluff by demanding an international probe into the Uri attack and Indian atrocities and violations of human rights in Kashmir in view of the persistent and unending Indian tirade holding Pakistan responsible for the attack. The demand for an international commission is a very shrewd diplomatic offensive, which should have been the part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address to the UN General Assembly and his interaction with the world leaders and international media. But as they say, it is never too late; it needs to be vigorously pursued at the diplomatic level. Pakistan undeterred by the lukewarm response and indifferent attitude of the US and its allies needs to focus on mobilising world support for the formation of the proposed commission to investigate who carried out the Uri attack to put an end to the incessant Indian propaganda against Pakistan, and its attempts to divert world attention from the situation in Kashmir. That campaign needs to be taken to its logical end. Our diplomatic missions abroad may be advised to have demarches on their host governments to mobilise support for the Pakistani offe,r and also to provide evidence of Indian involvement in terrorist acts within Pakistan, particularly Balochistan. Parliamentary delegations may also be sent to important capitals to meet with their counterparts with a view to raise the curtain on Indian designs and her nefarious machinations to keep people of Kashmir under subjugation through ruthless use of its military might. Pakistan may also consider the possibility of bringing the Hurriyat leadership on board with regard to approaching the UN Security Council to deliberate on the situation in Kashmir, and the mounting tension between Pakistan and India that poses a grave threat to peace and security in the region. The UN, particularly the Security Council is responsible for promoting peace and security in the world through resolution of conflicts. Kashmir, unreservedly, is considered as a nuclear flash point by the entire world community, including the powers that be, but regrettably, they are not pushed about doing something about it. Nevertheless, the UN and the Security Council do have a responsibility to resolve peace-threatening issues, like Kashmir, more so because of the fact that it has, through its resolutions, promised right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir. It is imperative for the UN to regain its credibility as a peace-promoting global entity, and reassert its support for the UN Charter that guarantees right of self-determination to the oppressed people yearning to throw of the yolk of subjugation. The Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj in her address to the UN General Assembly disowned the UNSC resolutions on Kashmir by declaring that Kashmir was an integral part of India. That constitutes an affront to the status and role of the UN and UNSC at the global stage. How the world body would cope with such an indiscretion by India and redeem its credibility as a non-partisan promoter of peace and security remains a million dollar question. The writer is a retired diplomat, a freelance columnist and a member of the visiting faculty of the Riphah Institute of Media Sciences, Riphah International University, Islamabad. He can be reached at ashpak10@gmail.com