Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) has warned that dangerous escalation in LoC violations by India amidst an uprising in Occupied Kashmir could enhance the chances of full scale military confrontation and undermine regional peace, security and strategic stability.
India, alongside brutal repression in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, has sharply intensified ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and Working Boundary in a bid to create an impression that the situation in Kashmir was Pakistan’s creation. Additionally, Pakistan is being threatened with punitive action.
These views were expressed by speakers at the end of a round-table conference, organised by the SVI on ‘Kashmir Conflict and Regional Security in South Asia’ here on Thursday.
The event was attended by retired senior Pakistani diplomats, military officials, academicians, Kashmiri activists, and representatives of Islamabad-based think tank.
According to the think tank, India committed 389 ceasefire violations since last summer, when the latest phase of uprising in the Valley started, in which over 60 people both civilian and military have been killed because of Indian shelling on the Pakistani side.
Speaking on the occasion, SVI President Dr Zafar Iqbal Cheema said the situation becomes particularly worrisome when seen in the context of confirmation of existence of Cold Start Doctrine by Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat and Delhi’s massive conventional arms build-up, and rapidly growing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles arsenal, backed by huge budgetary increase for military preparations. “The situation is too dangerous and risky, it carries dangerous portents for peace, regional security and strategic stability.”
Islamabad Policy Research Institute President Amb Sohail Amin observed that Pakistan had tried every track to find a solution to Kashmir problem, but only got belligerence in return from India.
He regretted that world’s business interests in India prevented it from speaking up against the brutalities being committed by the Indian security forces in Occupied Kashmir.
Former Foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar said India was extremely inflexible on Kashmir issue. “We are in a complex and difficult situation. Dealing with India has been a very frustrating experience for Pakistan,” he said. Khokhar further regretted that most of Pakistani political leaders either have not been sincere with Kashmir cause or lacked clarity on the way forward.
Ashraf Jehangir Qazi recommended that Pakistan should improve its image for increasing its options and winning the respect of the world. Moreover, he stressed that Kashmiri freedom fighters and Pakistan needed to be on the same page.
Kashmiri Activist Mushaal Hussein said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offered an opportunity for resolving Kashmir issue. “Once the world’s economic interest develops in Pakistan, India would come under pressure to resolve Kashmir issue.” She cited the example of the passionate debate in UK’s House of Commons on the situation in Kashmir saying it had been motivated by Britain’s interest in CPEC.
