The unresolved Kashmir dispute is at the heart of India-Pakistan conflict. Kashmir is not only a territorial conflict but a matter of Human rights violations and regional stability. Tension between India and Pakistan has grown more perilous since India’s action of scrapping the autonomous status for Occupied Kashmir enshrined in Article 370 of (India’s) Constitution and bifurcated the occupied region into two separate Union territories – Muslim majority Jammu and Kashmir and Buddhist dominated Ladakh. A new wave of suppression was unleased in the runup as India imposed a curfew in IOK and deployed thousands of the troops in the valley. Human Rights violations are continually committed by Indian forces in Kashmir; non-combatant civilians and political leaders have been detained with charge, public meetings are banned, thousands of the security check posts have been established, and a communication blackout has been enforced. Resultantly, ordinary people are suffering from a constant lack of basic necessities and medical supplies have become scarce and basic living necessities.
BJP’s unilateral move of abrogation of article 370 and ongoing strict restrictions in IOK has raised question about the status of democracy in the self-proclaimed “world’s largest democracy”. In tandem India has also engaged in military buildup along the Line of Control and Working Boundary. In recent weeks, ceasefire violations across the LoC have also increased. Current situation has the ingredients of unintended escalation in the Kashmir crisis.
The emerging dynamics has demonstrated the reality that Modi’s anti-Pakistan’s policy, is not merely an electoral strategy, but linked with RSS and BJP’s extremist vision of Hindu nationalism. It is unfortunate that Pakistan’s policy makers viewed BJP’s manifesto just as another political rhetoric to gain support of RSS extremists in the elections.
As PM Imran Khan meets with world leaders, including President Trump, this week, Pakistan’s diplomatic message should be consistent: international community should urgently intervene in Kashmir
After ,India’s move of scraping the article 370 Pakistan activated its bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Foreign Minister visited Beijing for consultations on emerging situation and days later, United Nations Security Council also held ‘informal consultations’ on the India-Pakistan tensions on Kashmir dispute. In this regard the question arises has Pakistan’s strategy been effective to mobilizing international community? And what measures should be taken to achieve its objectives related to Kashmir?
Pakistan immediate goal is to convince India to lift the communication blackout and ease restrictions imposed on the general population in Kashmir. Meanwhile, India is using the rhetoric of terrorism as a strategy to divert the attention of international community from the grim reality of IOK, aiming to negate the freedom struggle of Kashmiris and their right of self-determination. PM Imran has already stated that “Pakistan not only opposes all such activities but has also increased its vigilance to prevent militants from taking advantage of the situation.” Nonetheless, the right of self-determination must not be linked with terrorism.
Pakistan have activated its diplomacy to sensitise the international community on the human right violations and subjugation of Kashmiri people through but geo-political interests continue to be limit Pakistan’s policy. Consequently, Pakistan should take following multilateral measures to fight Kashmir’s case:
First, while formulating the strategy at national level, government officials should avoid rhetoric. Focus should be on concrete demands and actions from the major powers, as noise produced by rhetoric undermines pursuit of diplomacy.
Second, aggressive diplomacy needs to be pursued to gain the support of international community. Delegations comprising members of all political parties should be sent to key capitals to highlight the grave situation in IOK and also present Pakistan’s position. This will signal unanimous domestic political support in Pakistan to the issue of Kashmir.
Third, As the Prime Minister is in New York for the annual session of General Assembly, Pakistan should go extra mile in mobilizing Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora in the U.S. Aside from events featuring speeches from PM Khan, Pakistani diplomats can make efforts to facilitate meetings between representatives of the diaspora and American lawmakers and policy-makers. PM Khan should also participate in these meeting. This will influence policy-making on South Asia in the U.S.
Fourth, As PM Imran Khan meets with world leaders, including President Trump, this week, Pakistan’s diplomatic message should be consistent: international community should urgently intervene in Kashmir. PM’s address to the UN General Assembly is an opportunity but it needs to include concrete action-plan presented by Pakistan and endorsed by international community.
To conclude, for preservation as a community, people of Kashmir have no option but to resist unlawful actions of India. In their darkest hour, Pakistan cannot leave them to Indian devices. Islamabad, thus, should project the Kashmir issue to the world with a renewed vigor. Time for aggressive diplomacy is now.
The writer is Senior Research Officer at Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI)