Daily Times

As the government and the political leadership observes Kashmir Solidarity day across the country, we must reflect upon the missed opportunities for resolution of the seven-decade-old dispute that has deprived multiple generations of their fundamental right to self-determination. It must also serve as an occasion to be reminded of the ill-devised policies of the past so that a more prudent approach prevails in days to come.

The Agra Summit and the four-point solution proposed by General Pervez Musharraf during his days in the Presidency was the closest Pakistan and India have arrived at resolving the dispute. It provided for demilitarization of the region, acceptance of the Line of Control as a soft border with free movement of Kashmiris along both sides, self-governance without independence under joint supervision of the three sides – Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris themselves.

It is time we make these proposals as a cornerstone of our Kashmir policy, and launch a dedicated effort at global forums. The effort will be hard given the New Delhi’s successful diplomacy that has painted the Kashmiri struggle against Indian occupation of the Valley as an act of terrorism, sponsored from inside Pakistan. The Foreign Office will have to work against this perception, while also raising awareness at relevant forums about Indian state-sponsored terrorism and its human cost in the region. As the FO undertakes its task, these efforts will have to be complemented with action against non-state actors on the Pakistani side who have been involved in militancy in Kashmir. The authorities in Islamabad will have to realise that we cannot expect the international community to support our legitimate case in support of Kashmiri’s struggle, while we continue to shelter individuals and groups in our cities whose actions have only harmed the Kashmiris’ cause.

On the Indian side, given that the Narendra Modi’s government is getting set to go to a fresh election, it is unlikely to tone down its rhetoric over the issue. This was evident during Modi’s visit to the region on Sunday, where he made frequent references to ‘Mother India’ in a bid to stir up communal sentiments to reverse his party’s dwindling electoral fortunes. In such a scenario, the responsibility for guiding the Indian side back to the negotiation table with the Kashmiris and Pakistan rests squarely with moderate and progressive forces on the political front as well as in the civil society. These forces should play a role on two fronts: putting pressure on state institutions to have the Kashmir issue back on the agenda, and to counter Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindutva allies’ attempts at inciting communal sentiments to polarize the Indian electorate. Success in these efforts can open another window of opportunity for all sides to sit together and talk on the issue.

Both India and Pakistan must realise that multiple generations of Kashmiris have paid the price of decisions taken by a few men amidst Indian partition with their life and blood. Since almost a decade now, a new generation of Kashmiri youngsters have led the latest round of struggle against Indian occupation. This struggle draws its legitimacy from the fact that it is completely home-grown with no connection to those involved in militancy in the past. Any sustainable solution to the problem will have to factor in the aspirations of this generation. *

Published in Daily Times, February 5^th 2019.