-Unofficial regional alliance against Pakistan likely to create troubles for country-
The Indian PM’s outburst was an apparent response to Pakistan government’s statements holding India responsible for the atrocities being committed in Kashmir
The tensions in India-Pakistan relations recently increased after the wave of terror by Indian security forces erupted in Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan’s effort to raise the issue of human rights violations in the occupied valley is met with India’s claims that Pakistan’s army is committing atrocities in Balochistan where there is currently an insurgency.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier made a statement that added fuel to the fire. He said, “The people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) have thanked me a lot in past few days, I am grateful to them”. Modi added that Indians ‘also cried’ when children in Peshawar were killed in the APS attack in December 2014. “This is our nature, but look at the other side. They glorify terrorists,” he said.
The Indian PM’s outburst was an apparent response to Pakistan government’s statements holding India responsible for the atrocities being committed in Kashmir.
India recently launched an attack on Pakistan as it raised the issue of alleged human rights violations in Balochistan at United Nations on Wednesday.
India’s ambassador alleged that Pakistan’s military establishment is committing human rights violations across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), India’s ambassador alleged that Pakistan’s military establishment is committing human rights violations across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
“It will be best if the government of Pakistan focuses its energies on improving the human rights situation within the country and AJK,” said Ajit Kumar India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, in a statement at the 33rd Session of the UNHRC at Geneva.
“Pakistan is characterised by authoritarianism, absence of democratic norms and widespread human rights violations across the country, including Balochistan,” he added.
It is clear that any attempts by Pakistan to raise Kashmir issue is considered by India as interference in its internal issues, and whenever Pakistan tries to bring India’s crimes to the forefront, India does whatever it can to play the Balochistan card, accusing Pakistan of human rights violations in the province and trying to equate it with the situation in Kashmir.
There seems to be an unofficial alliance among India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Iran, aiming at isolating Pakistan in the region. Some analysts are of the view that United States has also become a part of this anti-Pakistan group.
India wants to turn the regional countries against Pakistan and given the current situation, when a number of other neighbouring countries also have their grudges against Pakistan, there are number of options India can and will use to further its agenda of isolating Pakistan.
Pakistan does not seem to have a proper plan on how it is going to raise the issue of rights violations in Kashmir. To convince the world community and make them listen to your grievances, you need proper lobbying and homework which Pakistan is clearly lacking at the moment. The country does not even have a full-time foreign minister and that says a lot about the government’s seriousness to deal with important matters of foreign relations.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to highlight Indian brutalities in occupied Kashmir. The move came after government officials’ statements announcing that the country intends to peruse the case of Kashmir at every relevant forum.
The government’s decision to appoint envoys is not being considered significant by analysts and they are of the view that it is mere tokenism as the envoys chosen are hardly familiar with the art of diplomacy. What government of Pakistan is doing on the diplomatic front to highlight the Kashmir issue is yet to be seen, but India apparently has its plans ready. The country is not only using the forum of United Nations to accuse Pakistan of human rights violations in Balochistan but also extending support to groups within Pakistan that have rebelled against the state.
India on Friday agreed to grant citizenship to Brahumdagh Bugti, self-exiled leader of Baloch Republican Party (BRP) and grandson of slain Baloch nationalist Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
This recent development indicates that Pakistan has been given a clear message that if it tries to raise the issue of Kashmir, India will support and facilitate groups that are working against the Pakistan government in Balochistan.
DNA spoke to foreign affairs and defence analysts to get their opinion on the possible steps India can take that would affect Pakistan’s image at international level.
“India wants to isolate Pakistan diplomatically so when it launches a false-flag attack to get Pakistan sanctioned, it will have sufficient support to make the sanction bite”, foreign affairs analyst Zafar Hilay said, while talking to DNA.
While commenting on India’s strategy of using Balochistan to hide its crimes in Kashmir, Zafar said the Balochistan issue is nothing compared to Kashmir but the US will try to portray it as such, because the US clearly has a soft corner for India.
Zafar further said the prime minister’s decision to appoint envoys for raising Kashmir issue might only make a slight difference and won’t change much. “The government should have chosen eminent people from all walks of life as envoys,” he said, while talking to DNA.
“The Indian government can use a number of strategies against Pakistan in the current situation and there is a possibility of India making a military alliance with Iran, hence building a three tier war front against Pakistan,” Defence analyst Dr Maria Sultan told DNA.
Dr Maria said India can indeed create problems for Pakistan by discussing the issue of alleged human rights violations in Balochistan at international forums, but the situation can be handled if the government of Pakistan comes up with an appropriate response. “The results of India’s strategy will depend on Pakistan’s counter efforts and response to the changing global order”, she added.
Dr Maria further said Balochistan is a law and order and administrative issue and that equating it with Kashmir is wrong, as the latter is a political issue linked with ideology and involving grave human rights violations.
“There does not exist a physical anti-Pakistan alliance because the countries concerned are not into any military agreement,” academician and researcher Qamar Cheema told DNA. He however added that India wants to isolate Pakistan worldwide by telling the world that Pakistan has been exporting terrorism. “Pakistan has given huge sacrifices in war against terrorism and all we need to do is market our narrative in a stronger manner,” he further said.
Qamar Cheema was of the view that India’s efforts to create propaganda against Pakistan about the Balochistan issue won’t succeed as US state department has reiterated that they don’t support separation of Balochistan and any armed struggles in the province. “The Indian efforts are like drawing a line in sand,” he said.
