Daily Times

The dynamic and robust foreign policy being pursued by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government has started paying dividends. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan has not only proved its credentials for regional peace and stability but also demonstrated its prowess to protect the country’s sovereignty and integrity.

It has not been achieved without harmonious, concerted and cohesive civil-military relationship. While the security establishment unearthed Indian destabilising Terror activities not only inside the country but also in the region ( particularly in Afghanistan) the Diplomatic Corp of Pakistan articulated the dangerous implications to the world. Pakistani dossiers in Indian state sponsored terror acts, EU Info Lab to malign Pakistan should have been enough to open international community eyes. PMIK speech at the UNGA sessions, exposing Modi’s fascist Hitlerist character with its Hindutva extremist RSS. Today Nuclear assets in India poses real threat to the world peace. Pakistan has acted with sanity and responsibility even when India state managed Pulwama terror attack, tried to unleash a war knowing well that both the countries are nuke powers.

Pakistan and India on Thursday recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire arrangement at the Line of Control and agreed to address the core issues that could undermine peace and stability. The re-commitment to the truce indeed is a very important development but the bigger question is what compelled New Delhi to do so when it is pursuing a no holds barred offensive against Pakistan. There is no denying that the Indian troops have over the last few years increased tension on the LOC by frequently resorting to unprovoked firing on our troops and innocent civilians. A sharp spike has been witnessed in the true breaches since 2014 when Narendra Modi came to power in India. Last year Indian troops committed over 3,000 ceasefire violations in which 28 people were martyred. In fact what the PTI government has done different is its diplomatic outreach to the international community. Whether it is the PM or other high ranking officials of government, they always kept the world forums and important capitals abreast of the Indian aggression and belligerence both on the LOC and the occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The visits of envoys and international media were also arranged to the LOC. Finally it was the pressure from the outside especially the US that forced India to come to the talking terms with Pakistan at least at the military level.

As regards the ceasefire agreement, maintaining calm and tranquility on the LOC is important to ease the tension between two neighboring countries. It could as also very rightly pointed out by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi be a good start for the future.

Pakistan’s sincerity to maintain peace could be well gauged from the fact that on Feb 27 , 2019, when it had shot down two Indian fighter jets and returned captured Indian Pilot, it kept the tensions down by not escalating the confrontation.

But a lot depends on Modi Junta’s future strategy and how does it respect the ceasefire agreement. The situation at the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is also very serious and disturbing. If Modi government is really interested to move forward, it will have to shun its intransigence and war mongering against Pakistan besides restoring the special status of the occupied territory to create an enabling environment for any dialogue with Pakistan. Pakistan has always kept its doors for dialogue open. Prime Minister Imran Khan has on multiple occasions stated if India comes and takes one steps forward, Pakistan will take two steps. This is sufficient to demonstrate Pakistan’s sincerity and seriousness to address all the issues with India including the core issue of Kashmir through dialogue.

For dialogue to happen , India will now have to start removing hurdles that had impeded the road to dialogue. Biden administration to India that it must ” talk on Kashmir” issue with Pakistan is a positive development. Restoring Indian held Kashmir previous status that envelops its resolution through UN Resolution to determine the will of the Kashmiri people could be a sincere step to begin with.

It also goes to the credit of present government that it forcefully and with solid substance exposed the true evil face of India and its Nazi inspired Hindutva policy against minorities before the whole world. The government has meritoriously countered Indian agenda of pushing the country into diplomatic isolation with effective representation of its narrative, helping forge new understanding at the regional and international levels. The Indian designs have been effectively defeated which was evident from the regional context where all the neighboring countries have rejected New Delhi’s expansionist policies. Most recently, a dossier comprising irrefutable evidence of Indian involvement in acts of terrorism in Pakistan was also shared with the United Nations and other important capitals. It was also because of consistent efforts that the UN Security Council discussed the Kashmir issue thrice during the one year period. The way Prime Minister Imran Khan in a tangible, compelling and articulate manner presented the case of Kashmiris at the UN General Assembly will also be remain as an unique event, to be always remembered in the history of Pakistan. Not only with his words but also actions, Prime Minister Imran Khan has truly proved himself as a spokesperson and representative of Kashmiri people. It is hoped that India would come forward with more sincere efforts for the sake of prosperous future of two countries people, Kashmiri people as well as in the greater interest of the regional peace and stability.