With almost 70 years post-partition we remain confused over the most vicious rivalry within the sub-continent that seems absurd rather affluent. With all the atrocities and carnages on either side of the border this war really lacks substance. Pakistan and India have political differences within their national interests, which are fair, but citizens of both nations clearly know that their origin was the same and they both had gained freedom from a common enemy through a united struggle against the British Raj. Our history is rich of Hindu and Muslim brotherhood pre-British India and even during the two-nation struggle which subjugates the utopian existence of harmony irrespective of religion or creed. The founding fathers of both the nations Jinnah and Gandhi worked collectively towards partition for their representative blocks and shared great regard for one another as seen in many pictures from the relics. Gandhi in a letter addressed Jinnah as “Brother Jinnah” and signed, “Your brother, Gandhi” as of 17 July 1944, while in subsequent letters, Gandhi addressed Jinnah as ‘Quaid-e-Azam’ or Great Leader. Many believe that the animosity between the two nations was a premeditated stratagem of the British rulers better known as their “Divide and Rule” policy which was obsessively used for demonizing Hindu Muslim conflict to weaken the unity and neutralization of the collective resistance of Indians for facilitating their continued occupation and exploitation.
Even as of today we remain in shambles of this deeply rooted cult, which has led to a consistent pattern of coercive behavior to establish control and power over one-another. So far the two South Asian giants have been involved in four wars, including one undeclared war and many border skirmishes and military stand-offs. Majority of these wars were fought on the back of Kashmir issue, directly or indirectly, with the exception of Indo-Pak war of 1971 where the conflict instigated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It will be naïve to justify the winner of these battles as both sides have their own versions of self-proclaimed victories but it would be important to instigate the moral grounds on which societies tend to thrive. Upholding the universally recognized standard of justice, in ethical or political parlance, both the countries have sought to maintain the status of being respected while continuing to have deviated from rectitude.
In the midst this infringement from either side of the border, India has continued to violate Human Rights in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. A disputed matter, territory and civilization have served as an ideal ground for vindictive crimes from the BSF, CRPF and various Indian separatist groups such as mass massacres, fake encounters, disappearances, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and genocide. Since 1989, this matter has taken a remorseful spiral resulting in taking lives of more than 100,000 innocent Kashmiris due to an incomparable large-scale abuse by Indian state forces. The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society organization states that there have been over 70,000 killings, 8000 plus forced disappearances, mass torture and sexual violence committed by Indian armed forces and these cases have had zero prosecution in civilian courts.
Diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks revealed that the ICRC had briefed US officials in Delhi in 2005 about the use of torture from 2002–2004 by security forces against many hundreds of detainees suspected of being connected to or having information about militants. While In a 1993 report, Human Rights Watch stated that Indian security forces “assaulted civilians during search operations, tortured and summarily executed detainees in custody and murdered civilians in reprisal attacks”. This clear abuse of human rights have been targeted towards achieving control in Kashmir through oppression and subjugation whereas fact of the matter this bloodbath has not only made the Kashmiris more resolute but tenacious against any sort of tyranny on their home ground. Regardless of many social and welfare organizations taking notice of these atrocities we are yet to witness justice and peace in this nonbelligerent valley.
While the world awaits conflict resolution since 1947 for Kashmiris, at least an apology is warranted from the Indians forces against these violations. More recently an innocent Pakistani civilian was tied in front of an Indian military vehicle as a human shield to protect discomfiture from the anguished stone throwers. This video went viral and was broadcasted by the mainstream media but spectators from across the globe resulted to have turned a blind eye to this incident just like hundreds of others in the past. However the integrity desolately looms over the fate of this poor soul it takes a strong nation to say sorry and stronger nation to forgive – Pakistan is stronger.