Shiban Khaibri
To make the “Kashmir issue” more intricate and knotty after succeeding in internationalizing it because of the proxy war of armed terrorism actively and brazenly starting from late 80’s in Kashmir, Pakistan has now started to add a new dimension to the problem by attempting to include the secessionist , anti India groups from Kashmir into official talks with India, holding the view that there are “three stake holders to the (so called) Kashmir problem – India, Pakistan and the Hurriyat leadership of Kashmir”. The cut off point , so to say, of 1989-90, the crucial and most difficult time in Kashmir valley because of the diabolical Pakistani mechanizations is known to all but it must also be taken note of and very seriously that prior to 1990, the most about this problem was, occasional rant by Pakistan in either UNO general assembly meets intermittently or during some of the visits to other countries by its leadership, mostly coming from its army like Field Marshals Ayub Khan, Gen. Yehya Khan, Gen. Zia-ul-Haq , Gen. Musharaf etc. Before 1990, there was hardly any thing seen in the state especially in Kashmir like “resolution of Kashmir problem,” no political activity of the sort, not in the least, which after 1990 was witnessed. The army personnel were moving about at times quite unarmed and the public did not see in them any sort of “occupational forces” or the ones indulging in any form of human rights violations but a rapport and friendship like ties existed with the local population , in cities, towns, villages, remote areas and in fact, the people always looked at them as friends and helpers especially during natural furies like floods, national highway blockades, helping marooned people in snow storms , evacuating them from unsafe zones, treating the sick and the injured where civilian help reached not in time and above all cinema houses, Bars restaurants were abuzz with usual activities without any problems, night show goers comprising even families moved about unhindered without any fear or any sort of apprehensions, sports events, Bollywood film shootings etc; were going on , there was no tension between different groups of the Kashmiri society who lived together in amity and friendship but the conventional belligerent neighbour’s evil eyes did not like it all and wanted to demolish the whole equation, hence implementation of “Operation Topac” the infamous scheme of “waging a war on the soil of India, with no apparent Pakistani involvement conceived by Gen. Zia-ul-Haq and its execution part was entrusted to Field Intelligence Unit of the Pakistani Army. It was thought of as an alternative combat strategy adopted against India in Kashmir as no objective worth the name, was achieved by Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965 and 1971 wars.
It was from 1990, due to escalated violence of the type never heard or seen by the people of Kashmir in the form of a blend of subterfuge, subversion, armed attacks and extreme religious fundamentalism sponsored by Pakistan that Kashmir started making news beyond the state and country borders and hence Pakistan succeeded in internationalizing the Kashmir issue. Mushrooming of terror groups armed, aided, trained, financed, motivated and supported by Pakistan emerged on the scene and a conglomeration of various fundamentalist and terror groups took the shape of Hurriyat. It is how Hurriyat came into existence and that is why Pakistan won’t let its child go now reared and brought up, now as a “third Party to the dispute” as per the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit who dared on the Indian soil itself to indulge in anti India activities by inviting some self styled champions of Kashmiri people for talks and discussions in respect of the secretary level talks slated to be held on Aug 25 this year. That was objected to by the Indian government and the talks were cancelled in totality, not even suspended or deferred. It seems ludicrous as to the stand taken by Pakistan on this issue as it grossly violates the provision of the Simla agreement of 1972 wherein it is explicitly mentioned that no third party mediation or participation in bilateral issue of Kashmir shall be allowed by either country. When Simla agreement forms solid bedrock of relations between the two countries, how can Pakistan go in for a flagrant violation of it and how can that country be ever believed or relied upon? Not only this, Lahore Declaration of 1999 signed between the then PMs, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif, respectively reaffirms the covenants of the Shimla Agreement . It smacks of the double speak and the underhand means being employed in the name of striking a peaceful dialogue on the issue of the Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan but things have changed in India for the better and a firm government in Delhi has called the bluff of Pakistan and conveyed that it meant business, a serious business with Pakistan based on fairness and probity in case of dialogues to be held and has made clear that “Pakistan should either choose dialogue with separatists or the Indian government”. India has termed the act of talking to separatists leaders by its envoy on the Indian soil as “interference in India’s internal affairs “.
Pakistan, on the other hand, is in deep trouble. Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister is under tremendous pressure to resign preceded by his brother Mian Shabaz Sharif who is the Chief Minister of Punjab. The elections held there are supposed to be rigged as alleged by the two leaders, spearheading the massive anti government demonstrations and siege of the Parliament, the noted cleric Dr. Tahir -ul- Qadiri and Chief of the Tehrik-e-Insaf Party well known cricketer Imran Khan. Dissolution of the Parliament along with stepping down by Nawaz Sharif is the demand of thousands of protesters who are on the streets for the last 15 days. The army there, calling the real shots and having broad based indulgence in the government policies, is not going against the protestors or the Pakistani Supreme Court agreeing to the government request to order dispersing of the protesters. In fact, the Pakistan army has thus proved itself to be indispensable and much relevant in conveying to the present government headed by Nawaz Sharif that no political major decisions could be taken without either some involvement of it or only after it gave its acquiesce .Besides army, right wing political parties, religious groups and terrorist outfits active in Pakistan do not want any peace talks to be held between the two countries. Pakistan envoy Basit knowingly or unwittingly walking into the trap to oblige such powerful elements, seemingly agreed to such a policy and proceeded with the cause and effect of talking to separatist leaders from Kashmir on Indian soil. Instability coupled with potential violence are threatening the existence of the Sharif government compounded by a shattering economy, pressures of reactions and negative responses from all quarters mounting on him to review his government’s current policies towards Taliban problem, Afghanistan and in particular India.
The other dimension to the “Kashmir problem” is Pakistan’s gifting away certain parts from occupied part of Kashmir which it calls “Aazad Kashmir” and has made itself committing yet another blunder by perhaps making China too one of the “stake holders”. In other words, areas in Gilgit, Baltistan and Aksai Chin are under China’s occupation. Pakistan has been “liberal” in granting undeterred access to China in these areas of the Jammu and Kashmir and allowed mineral wealth lying there in abundance which it is exploring for developing its missile development programme. Talking of the stale and redundant UNO resolutions on Kashmir by Pakistan has made a joke of and rendered irrelevant such resolutions by gifting parts of Jammu and Kashmir to China.
It is , however, in the fitness of things to keep communication lines alive with Pakistan and talk decisively to it in the near future on the issue of unabated infiltration attempts and sending arms and armed terrorists to Kashmir; also about how and when to totally stop border violations and targeting our civilian population; about handing over to India for judicial trial, the most wanted fugitives and marauders who have committed horrendous crimes against the people of India , against our territorial integrity and sovereignty and are hiding in and enjoying state protection from Pakistan. There is no relevance in parroting of “Peace process should continue and India should talk to Pakistan” by some leaders from Kashmir in the light of how an avoidable prelude to the slated 25/8 secretary level talks took place in New Delhi by the Pakistan envoy.
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