The Indo-Pak détente

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Kashmir is an issue, a burning hot one

The spat on Kashmir issue between Pakistani and Indian diplomats in the UN General Assembly is reflective of the centrality of this issue in Indo-Pak relations. The remarks by President Asif Ali Zardari that Kashmir symbolizes failure of UN system and that Pakistan will continue to support Kashmiris to choose their own destiny carries a tint of frustration and hopelessness. Nevertheless, Pakistan cannot overlook the issue due to its economic, socio-religious and historic compulsions. In response, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna while refuting the stance taken by President Zardari described Kashmir as an integral part of India. That brings the situation to square one and seriously challenges the sustainability of on going peace process between the two countries. There is a strong feeling among certain quarters that present détente between Pakistan and India is essentially structured by Americans and is skewed in favor of India. One can argue that taking the advantage of Pakistan’s instability, economic dependency, terrorism and presence of American forces in Afghanistan, India wants Pakistan to give in on Kashmir issue. That probably will not be possible on number of accounts.

Kashmir is a part of unfinished agenda of partition of India. The treachery and deceit with which it was annexed into India is part of history and cannot be denied. The UN resolution that called for the plebiscite in Kashmir and was agreed to by both India and Pakistan is on record. That suffices to establish Kashmir as a disputed territory. Over the last sixty three years or so, what we have witnessed is that India is trying to hold on to this Muslim majority area using force while Pakistan remained committed in supporting Kashmiris politically and morally.

The excesses committed by Indian troops have no parallel in history. Over 94,000 killings since 1989, forced abductions, fake encounters and mass graves spread all over occupied Kashmir tell the tail of vile conduct by the Indian forces. The fact that over 500,000 Indian troops armed with draconian laws like Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act 1990 (TADA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1990 (AFSPA) are stationed in Indian occupied Kashmir to maintain law and order exposes Indian spite. Interestingly, Kashmir has a population of about 11 million, considering about fifty percent population as that of females, the Indian troops account for one Indian soldier against almost 10 male civilians and yet the Indians boast Kashmir to be its integral part.

Kashmir also has serious economic repercussions for Pakistan. Five major rivers that irrigate the plains of Punjab emanate from Kashmir. It was the illegitimate occupation of Kashmir that provided India with the opportunity to control upper riparian of Indus Basin and thus have the capability to control water flow into Pakistan. To have equitable sharing of water Indus Water Treaty was signed in September 1960. Unfortunately, since then the treaty has been awfully breached by Indians. So far they have constructed seventeen major dams on river Chenab, five on river Jhelum and ten on river Indus. By doing so India has attained the virtual ability to control water flow into Pakistan in just forty years. That posses a very serious threat to the survival of Pakistan.

History since partition of the subcontinent stands testament to the fact that the Indians have been working feverishly to harm Pakistan. The Indo-Pak wars of 1948 and 1965 were fought due to Kashmir. In 1971, they supported separatist elements in then East Pakistan and engineered creation of Bangladesh. Their support to terrorist elements operating inside Pakistan and for dissident elements of Balochistan is an open secret. In spite of all this historic and ongoing malevolence, Pakistan for the sake of regional development is trying to bridge differences with India. It should not be construed as a sign of weakness. Pakistan has successfully endured the spat of terrorism and has skillfully managed itself in the face of Russian and now American presence in Afghanistan.

These events alone reflect on the intrinsic strength of the country and its people. So it will be naïve to think that under American pressure or any other fears Pakistan will accede to the Indians and give in on Kashmir. That approach needs to be replaced with the genuine desire to resolve regional disputes on the principles of justice and mutual respect.

8 COMMENTS

  1. India seriously should have emulated China in its policy of pacifying Tibet and Xingjian.
    there would have been no issues at all!!!

  2. While i appreciate the recapitulation of the history, this is fed to us through birth.Our stand is paradoxical.On one hand we give India the most favoured status and indulge in so called CBM and then go to UN and demand plebsite for Kashmiris! Please study the Simla Pact! We accepted LOC instead of caese fire! We gave away all. It was understood that Kashmir was a bilateral issue to be discussed bilateraly and NOT internationally. I have not stopped crying since then. Guess who signed that accord?ZAB.Please let us take care of what is left of Pakistan before we loose it too. Kashmir is no more central.After the war when the parties come to the negotiating table the party which holds the most of the territory also holds most of the cards and will dictate the end results . No histrionics in the UN are going to help.

  3. Well done Joker hahaha
    Refrendum could not be held because Pakistan, relying on its ability toi lie and deny, failed to withdraw its troops from J&K which iwas percondition to hold refrendum. So one can not blame India. The refrendum was to address the problem prevailing at that time with the population at that time and Pakistan thwarted possibility for not withdrawing. Pakistan also illegally transferred land,Aksai Chin, to China and altered geography and burying hopes of any refrendum at all now.
    It is Pakistan, not India whihc is responsible for death of 90,000 or more people in J&K. Proxywar that Pakistan launched caused this.
    Thankyou for telling us, you 2 cent bafoon, that water flows frm Kashmir to Pakistan, So it is water, not Kashmiris, that is your concern. Stop being hypocrites.

    • @Ravinder… As opposed to the facts given by the writer, your blah blah blah was the lamest ofexcuse ever. The fact remains that no Kashmiri has ever wanted to live with India despite 0.5 million of your troops try day and night to curb the thought of freedom in the Kashmiris. No matter how stupid or lame excuses you come up with, U Indians were the ones who went to the UN and now u r the ones who just dont want the plebiscite. O now we are responsible for the 90000 deaths.. O yeah I forgot you guys have "Pakistanophobia". You guys think that everything that goes wrong in your country is because of Pakistan.. As far as ur reason "The refrendum was to address the problem prevailing at that time with the population at that time", everyone knows for a fact that after Indians occupied Kashmir, many hindus were sent to live there just to change the majority of muslims. And NO the refrendum was to address the problem prevailing at that time which is still prevailing or perhaps you dont see the problem as you just keep your eyes shut. No matter what dirty tactics you come up with, Kashmiris will one day get their freedom from India. InshAllah.

  4. PAKISTAN HAS NO CASE ON KASHMIR. DO NOT MAKE A MOCKERY OF YOURSELF WHEN ALREADY YOU ARE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD. FOLLOWING POINTS PROVE YOUR STUPIDITY:
    1. THE SO CALLED REFRENDUM FOR PEOPLE OF J&K VERY CLEARLY REQUIRED PAKISTAN TO WITHDRAW ALL ITS FORCES, WHILE INDIA BULK OF ITS FORCES. PAKISTAN NEVER WITHDREW AS IT WAS NOT SURE OF A VICTORY. SHEIKH ABDULLAH HATED PAKISTAN AND HAD HUGE FOLLOWING, WHILE NO NON-MUSLIM WOULD EVER VOTE TO JOIN PAKISTAN.INFACT, WHOLE TROUBLE STARTED WITH PAKISTAN BACKED TRIBALS ATTACKING J&K. THE REASON WHY REFRENDUM WS NOT HELD WAS BECAUSE OF PAKISTAN, NOT INDIA. ISSUE OF REFRENDUM WAS PERMANENTLY BURRIED WITH PAKISTAN ALTERING GEOGRAPHY (ACEDING TO CHINA), AND DEMOGRAPHY OF THE PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR. SIMLA AGREEMENT NULLIFIES UN.
    MOREOVER, THE REFRENDUM WAS A MERE SUGGESTION TO ADDRESS SITUALTION AT THAT TIME AND THEY WERE PASSED UNDER CHAPTER IV AND CAN NOT BE ENFORCED THROUGH MILITARY MEANS. END OF STORY.

  5. Cont`d
    2. THE SAME UNSC ALSO RECOGNISED ISRAEL IN 1948. DO YOU RECOGNISE ISRAEL… THE SAME UNSC HAS DECLARED MANY ORGANIZATION AS TERROR ORGANIZATION BUT IN PAKISTAN THEY ARE CHARITY ORGANIZATION. HAHAHHA INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED TERRORISTS ARE YOUR HEROES.
    3. THANKYOU FOR SHOWING YOUR REAL FACE. IT IS FOR STRATEGIC REASONS THAT YOUR ARE BEATING YOUR CHEST FOR KASHMIRIS, NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM. THE BUTCHERS WHO CARRIED OUT MASSACRE OF MILLIONS OF BANGLADESHI MUSLIMS CAN`T BE ANYONE`S SYMPATHIZERS.
    4. J&K DOES NOT BELONG TO SUNNI MUSLIMS. THE STATE BELONGS TO PANDITS, BUDHISTS AND SIKHS. EVEN THE NAME KASHMIR IS AFTER RISHI KASHYAP. SO GET LOST. SUNNI MUSLIMS CAN GO TO PAKSITAN. NO RIVER OR LAND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO PAKISTAN.
    5.WE WANT TERMINATION OF 1960 INDUS WATER TREATY. GO TO UN OR OTHER BODIES AND GET WHATEVER IS DUE TO A LOWER RIPARIAN STATE, AND YOU WILL GET MUCH LESS THAN WHAT YOU GETTING NOW.

  6. @ammad, it is not me, it is you who is ding blah blah. I am very specific. if you understand english read it again.
    I am specific that it is Pakistan that violated, like a chronic criminal, pre-conditions for refrendum wherewas you are telling things like `whole world knows…. or kashmir do not want to live with india..
    I am specific when I say Pakistan illegally aceeded Aksai Chin, which is part of J&K, to china.. you seem to be an ignorant fool as if not undrstanding what implications it has.

    I am saying you are aggressor, in the prxywar (jehad) and india is defending itself. YOu are responsible for collateral deaths, not India.
    You are brainwashed to an extent of `no return` whereas you have no case on Kashmir..

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