Coexistence is our only option
India has a bluff and bluster policy. Already India is engaged in 4th, 5th degree warfare with Pakistan. They have infiltrated their people inside Pakistan. That Kulbhushan Yadav was not a spy, he was head of an espionage network
Former Senator and Chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr Akram Zaki is also a distinguished former career diplomat. He served as Pakistan’s ambassador to China, USA, Nigeria and Philippines and rose to the position of secretary general with the rank of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Mr Zaki has represented Pakistan at various international organisations and conferences and dialogues including the United Nations’ General Assembly, UN Human Rights Commission, Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Asian Development Bank and UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He is currently associated with a number of research and social organisations and regularly contributes on regional and international political and security-related debates.
DNA sat with Mr Zaki to have a candid discussion on state of affairs Pakistan is currently in.
Question: After the ups and downs of recent months, India has once again carried out troop movements on the border. What signal, do you think, they are trying to send now?
AZ: There are severe issues between India and Pakistan. As a rule a mighty and powerful country wants to hold and perpetuate the status quo, a country which is relatively small wants to change the status quo. Thus it is in India’s favour to keep Kashmir under its control by fair or foul means. Thus, whether there are talks or not, whether situation improves or deteriorates, India will find a way out. Firstly, Pakistan and India, both being nuclear powers, don’t have the option of open adventurism or conventional warfare. Secondly, People of Kashmir have not accepted the Indian occupation. The years of Indian occupation and lack of opportunities cumulated in the form of Burhan Wani who has raised the youth in rural areas of Kashmir without the conventional hurriyat parties. The decision of Modi Sarkar to integrate Kashmir with India backfired. The present movement is indigenous in nature. One thing is for sure that there won’t be any war between the two neighbours. We have to co-exist and this coexistence has to occur in tension. The thing is to be vigilant and manage the tension as best as we can and to keep it within limits.
Q: After the intense escalation – to the point of threat of war – the altercation seemed to have died down somewhat. Do you think New Delhi is just trying to keep the pot warm? If so, what long term strategy do you think it is playing towards?
AZ: India has a bluff and bluster policy. Already India is engaged in 4th, 5th degree warfare with Pakistan. They have infiltrated their people inside Pakistan. That Kulbhushan Yadav was not a spy, he was head of an espionage network. If they make military manoeuvering like they did back in 2002, our armed forces are fully prepared and battle-hardened. The Indians have been exposed regarding surgical strikes. West has sabotaged the initiative taken by Pakistan and China on bringing peace in Afghanistan. It is to keep in mind that west has a change of heart, now they’ll align with India. The escalation had to come down and there will be more escalations and eventually they’ll run out of steam.
CPEC will prove to be a game changer. USA and India are sabotaging CPEC by sponsoring terrorism in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. We need to be vigilant on all fronts. The worrisome thing is that both our government and opposition are at daggers drawn and are not paying due heed to the challenges Pakistan currently faces.
We need to present the Kashmir issue on all international forums. We need to make it relevant and on international podiums, it is not enough to raise an issue and then forget about it. No, one needs to reiterate the issue over and over again
Q: What is the next logical step in terms of standing by oppressed Kashmiris? Sure, Pakistan made a good bit of diplomatic noise, even took the matter to the UN, but what are we to do from here?
AZ: We need to present the Kashmir issue on all international forums. We need to make it relevant and on international podiums, it is not enough to raise an issue and then forget about it. No, one needs to reiterate the issue over and over again. Look at the Indians; they have not forgotten the Mumbai issue till to date. The stupidity of our government is that when an event takes place, we raise hell for a day or two and then forget it completely. Is there anyone talking about Peshawar APS attack? Is anyone talking about attack on Bacha Khan University? Is anyone talking about the Quetta carnage? When we ourselves forget about these instance how can the world be blamed for not paying attention?
Our dilemma is that we forget our own narrative and there is dire need to work on it and tell the world about the conspiracies hatched against us.
Q: The only time Pakistan and India came close at all to a solution was in the Musharraf era. Then foreign minister, Khurshid Kasuri, repeatedly said progress was the result of two years of backdoor diplomacy. Do you feel such an exercise could help in the present setting?
AZ: With due respect to Kasuri sahab, I think that his claim is devoid of truth. There was no concession from India’s side. All the leniency was shown by Pakistan. If one reads his book, one finds out that Pakistan was more bent on the giving side rather than reaching an impeccable solution that involves give and take. If we have to agree on all things, then an agreement can be signed anytime. The thing is what have they actually got from the Indians. The decision that they took was to convert the line of control into a line of commerce. India will agree to status quo at any time, even now. It was not a solution, but a surrender. India didn’t even sign the surrender.
Q: Isn’t it true that Kashmir cannot realistically be solved till the international community gets seriously involved? Surely that is why the foreign office was so happy when US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump offered to mediate. How can we better lobby the international community? PML-N’s initiative of 22 envoys didn’t work out too well.
AZ: What have those envoys achieved? It would’ve been better if parliamentarians of Azad Jammu Kashmir were sent in their place. The envoys reached the destination and what have they done there, I don’t know. Our embassies must take up the issue at regular intervals. If we send an envoy what’ll he do in his individual capacity? The thing is you just simply can’t put an issue on the radar and then forget about it. One needs to keep hammering it continuously in order to drive the point home.
Q: What, finally, of the Kashmiris? As we talk they continue to pay for the occupation in ‘blood and bodies’. Who will answer for them? Who will provide justice to them? And how?
AZ: The atrocities that happened in Kashmir should’ve been represented through graphic images. The imagery could be very powerful. It is not enough to write that 1,500 people lost their eyesight due to pellet guns. It is not at all enough. It’s only one sentence. Our government is busy fighting its political opponents. If a PM who is fighting for his own survival how can he be expected to put on a brave fight against the country’s existential threats?