Daily Times

Today is the 448th day of lockdown in Indian occupied Kashmir. Kashmir Black Day is being observed today (Oct 27, 2020) across Pakistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), and Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Seminars, rallies, and other activities have been planned to condemn illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by India and atrocities being committed by the Indian security forces against the people in the IIOJK. Prime Minister of Pakistan, on this avail has said that Pakistan will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Kashmiri people and extend all possible support to them until they realize their legitimate right to self-determination. The illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir by India represents an international dispute, the solution of which is anchored in the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council in accordance with the UN charter.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is well aware of Indian psychology and politics of hate. “India could play a negative role in tarnishing Pak-Afghan relationship,” says PM Imran Khan. The Pakistan Prime Minister, in the past, had made efforts to maintain good relations with India, but RSS ideology and restricted ruling party policies reciprocated on the issue of Pak-Afghan Trade. The PM highlighted the major areas of trade between the two countries. Trade is anavenue that brings the two countries close to each other. If Afghan issue is settled, then many of the aspects of the relationship between the two countries will be better known to the world at large. The end of war in Afghanistan will open up many opportunities for Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together for the welfare of the two countries. Open trade border with Afghanistan will help boost the economy for mutual prosperity.

Politics in general is full of hypocrisy and the current model of democracy has become an instrument for the powerful to keep coming back by exploitation

It is good to have friendly and brotherly relations with neighboring countries. Chief of Army Staff says “Pakistan-Turkey ties being transformed into enduring partnership.” The Turkish defenseminister called on General Qamar Jawed Bajwa yesterday.

All countries need to respect one and others religious beliefs. Imran Khan has issued warning in this respect and asked the French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen efforts for interfaith harmony, interreligious dialogue, and to religious leaders to work for peace. The Church of Pakistan and religious organizations have condemned display of sacrilegious caricatures in France. Interfaith harmony councils are being constituted all over the world. There is a need for leaders to educate people on cultural, religious and social sensitivities. The political and religious leaders must ensure that no bad feelings emerge anywhere in the world on the issue of interfaith harmony dialogue.

At the same time, the tyranny in Kashmir must stop at once. Indian Leaders should realize the need for sanity to prevail. The historic Black Day of occupation of Kashmir begins its most recent and insidious manifestation. The UN Secretary General should listen to Mr. Gross, US ambassador to the UN who said in the Security Council on December 5, 1952, “we feel that it is the role of the Security Council to assist the parties in seeking to reach agreement as stipulated in UN resolutions”. So now is no time for complacency or temporizing, as the chilling suffering and misery of the Kashmiri people continues every day. A peaceful resolution is deferred.

Today, the challenge before us is that a new generation in Kashmir has been raised with blood and tears for what death can do, that life has not done before. Sufferings of the people in Jammu and Kashmir should end. Freeing them from fear, the government of Pakistan has initiated a legal forum for Kashmir to address inaction, and highlight the brutality being carried out in the region. Similarly, speeches, public rallies, demonstrations, and photo exhibitions are being organized all over the world to bring the necessary attention to the issue of Kashmir. Such responsible efforts to create awareness contribute to the cause further and fall in line with the sincere desire to aid Kashmiris who are suffering the repercussions of decisions made by their oppressors. Thus, not only is it important to stand up for them nationally, but on an individual level as well.

There is a need to convert hypocritical democracies into real functional democracies everywhere in the world. The powerful hypocrites should not continue to be in power, with their self-serving interest. Politics in general is full of hypocrisy and the current model of democracy has become an instrument for the powerful to keep coming back by exploitation. The powerful will continue to be in power with their self-serving interests. The power players will continue to take every dictatorial decision democratically. Let us wake up and give chance to real democracy for the long due benefit of the majority, to ensure peace, harmony, human rights, freedom of expression and mutual respect for all communities.

Remember, that perceptions are not necessarily the reality. The need is to look for reality and seek solutions to problems that people all over the world are facing. Such an objective couldbe achieved through intensive planning and organization. It needs input from experts in a verity of fields related to human behavior and organizations.

The writer is former Director National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) Government of Pakistan, a political analyst, a public policy expert, and a published author