Daily Times

Pakistan is observing August 5 as a ‘Yaum-e-Istehsal’ – the exploitation day in solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Jummu and Kashmir. On 5 August 2019, the Government of India revoked the special status, or limited autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir-a region administered by India as a state which consists of the larger part of Kashmir which has been the subject of dispute among India and Pakistan since the independence of both countries in 1947.

Among the Indian government actions accompanying the revocation was the cutting off of communication lines in the Kashmir Valley, a region gripped by a prolonged indigenous movement for self-determination according to the UN resolutions. Several leading Kashmiri politicians were taken into custody, including the former chief minister. India is projecting its extreme military action in IOJK as designed for preempting violent reaction from the locals while the actual situation that is being projected by the sufferers is totally different. India is engaged in a criminal genocide of the Kashmiris, gang rape of local women, destroying the locals’ assets and grabbing their lands and properties, populating the IOJK with the Hindu settlers from different parts of India.

The reaction in the Kashmir Valley was effectively reduced to silence because of cut-off communication. Some India supported nationalists have voiced in favour of the Indian move but the major political parties including the Indian National Congress, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal (United) and the DMK have strongly condemned and criticized the revocation of the Article 370 along with several literati and a section of the Indian media as well. International community and media has also termed the act as brutal and a violation of the basic rights of the local Kashmiris.

Pakistan claims to be in support of the people of IOJK by all means including political, diplomatic and moral but actually Pakistan has failed to extend the required support consistently. I know, the case is well-registered with the international community and UN forums that is a success for Pakistan and the Kashmiris that are being subjected to the worst form of atrocities by the Indian Army. But what next? Could we get the UN resolutions translated into meaningful outcomes since the United Nations Security Council Resolution 39, adopted on January 20, 1948?

The aforementioned UN Resolution offered to assist in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir Conflict by setting up a commission of three members; one to be chosen by India, one to be chosen by Pakistan and the third to be chosen by the other two members of the commission.

Every person is dedicated to the cause and sensitized to play its role. It’s only the government and its parliamentary and strategic institutions that needed to play tactfully on the Kashmir issues globally. Spend your money and energy over there

There are several resolutions now and reports on the atrocities in Kashmir. It means a sort of success. What mars all the efforts is the inconsistent action plan to support the objectives of the Kashmiri indigenous movement, and lack of a firm strong stance that Pakistan has been unable to take up and negotiate with the international community and the members of the UN Security Council members. The question is if a diplomatically weaker country such as Pakistan could do it where individualistic approaches are the preferred choice for the country representatives and negotiators?

All hype is created at the moment to mark the August 5 as a ‘Yaum-e-Istehsal’ with an ISPR new song released a couple of days back, press conferences, tickers and teasers on TV and radio channels, and statements and adverts in the print media. But what is the public reaction to all these ‘efforts’? Just go through the comments and criticism of what the Pakistani social media users are offering only on the ISPR song. One said, release an album of songs to occupy the entire India. Many memes on the ISPR song are floating on social media. The ISPR brains indeed need to think of that if such types of stunts stun the public or push them to react. General public in Pakistan is not dead on the Kashmir issue that we need to wake up. Every person is dedicated to the cause and sensitized to play its role. It’s only the government and its parliamentary and strategic institutions that needed to play tactfully on the Kashmir issues globally. Spend your money and energy over there.

It’s good to pay a visit to the frontlines with the media and have solidarity shown with the soldiers guarding the Line of Control (LOC). I support press statements and press briefings. I do support the observing silence for one minute or five minutes as well. But long inaction and inconsistency cannot substitute, support or add value to whatever engagements Pakistan government is trying to mitigate the loss done on the Kashmir cause.

India is all out to genocide of Muslims in India and Kashmiris in IOJK and we are coming up with Ordinance and begging Indian High Commission to appoint a counsel for their spy to challenge the death sentence, and requesting time again to a guilty-proven Indian spy who has confessed all his criminal and cruel activities. We fear sanctions from the UN and international community if any strict action is taken against a guilty-proven India spy. It means over the five years, Pakistan’s foreign office has completely failed to convince the global forums on the death sentence of a spy. What else could be the weaker and cowardly situation for the state of Pakistan?

The writer is a freelance journalist and Director Devcom-Pakistan, a policy advocacy and outreach think tank in Islamabad. His email: devcom.pakistan@gmail.com Twitter Handle: @EmmayeSyed