Daily Times

Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has urged the ambassadors of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the European Union to fulfil their international commitments to the people of the India-held Kashmir (IHK) under the UNSC resolutions. He informed the world leaders about human right violations being committed by Indian forces in IHK, and deplored the lethal use of force against innocent people. Aziz also conveyed serious concerns over the bloodshed in IHK, which has claimed more than 70 innocent lives, and left around 7,000 people injured since July 8. Aziz, on the occasion, expressed concern over India’s refusal for holding talks on the issue with Pakistan. He also briefed the ambassadors on the exchange of letters between the foreign secretaries of the two countries. The P5 and EU representatives stressed for a peaceful resolution of the issue and acknowledged the importance of dialogue.

Over the years, Pakistan has emphasised the need for a solution for the Kashmir issue under the UNSC resolutions, but at the same time, it has continued to have a soft spot for jihadist elements as well. This has resulted in widening the trust deficit not only between Pakistan and India but also at the international arena.

Pakistan should have stuck to its stance of the peaceful resolution of Kashmir, but historically, it has diverted away from peaceful mechanisms. Although Pakistan has denied any links with the alleged infiltrators from its side, Pakistan’s sympathies with the separatist fighters and the presence of elements openly promoting militancy in the Indian-held Kashmir has severely harmed Pakistan’s position. Some of the internationally designated terrorists are roaming freely in Pakistan, holding rallies against the Indian occupation of Kashmir as well as inciting people to jihad. The result of all this posturing is evident from the response of the international community towards the issue. Although Pakistan has been raising the issue aggressively in recent times, the reaction from the international community has not been anything more than cosmetic statements, urging both Pakistan and India to negotiate the issue peacefully.

Recently, a National Assembly committee has been formed to highlight the Indian atrocities at the international level. The international trips — paid by taxpayers — of the committee, which is formed of mostly Pakistan Muslim League parliamentarians, would be an exercise in redundancy until Pakistan shows its sincerity towards resolving the issue by distancing itself from any militant groups in Kashmir, or those ostensibly working for Kashmir within Pakistan. International community does not need a group of people who is not even from the Kashmir region or has with real expertise on the issue to be enlightened about the situation. Due to the track record of Pakistan supporting jihadi elements in Kashmir, India has been traditionally blaming Pakistan for all that is happening there. Kashmir’s former chief minister Omar Abdullah, in a recent interview, said that everything that happened in Jammu and Kashmir could not be blamed on Pakistan, and the killing of Burhan Wani had acted as a trigger, which in turn made the present unrest indigenous, having stemmed from the anger of people disillusioned by violence in Jammu and Kashmir over the years. On the other hand, the current Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti once again blamed Pakistan for the problem.

While the stance of India has also been rigid on the issue, it is the trust deficit that has not allowed any peaceful resolution of the issue. If Pakistan is sincere about resolving the problem in a peaceful manner under the UN resolutions, it should distance itself from any kind of militant or armed groups operating in Kashmir as well as crack down on such elements in Pakistan. Furthermore, India should reciprocate by conceding some ground to start the talks on Kashmir issue to resolve it amicably. Otherwise, the issue will perpetuate, and the people of the Valley will continue to suffer because of bloated egos and power games of Islamabad and Delhi. *