While we’re looking for a solution to Kashmir

Is there a solution to Kashmir?

Yes there is.

There is a solution to every problem, provided parties involved want to resolve it. Herein lies the key.

India needs to understand certain ground realities, only then it will be able to able to move forward towards a solution.

One, it needs to accept that the uprising against India in Indian Occupied Kashmir is home-grown. In particular, the killing of Burhan Wani has lent legitimacy to the surge. Lack of political engagement by India with the locals and resorting to human right abuse well recorded by international human right agencies has created a black mark against India.

Two, blaming Pakistan for the uprising may be politically expedient for Modi government however, Pakistan has never militarily helped the Kashmiris nor trained them-had this been a fact, as India has often accused Pakistan of, she would have had the evidence to produce. This is not the case.

Three, Modi’s blame-game policy with regards to Kashmir is self-defeating. Kashmir is and will always be the centre of India’s sour relationship with Pakistan. It can refuse to acknowledge reasons for issues of insurgency in Kashmir and accuse Pakistan for it, though this works well on domestic level, it does not do away with Pakistan’s moral and high ground to seek a solution for OIK.

Four, like it or not India must engage with Pakistan for settlement of OIK dispute. May it be now or may it be later. It has been lingering since 1947 already. It will come to a point where the situation will become intangible for India. Ignoring a situation and trying to handle it with force works up to a given point, not beyond.

Musharraf’s 4 point agenda is worth a review. Musharraf had suggested:

1. Kashmir should have the same borders but free movement  across the region be allowed for people on both side of LoC;
2. There should be self-governance or autonomy but not independence
3. Region should be demilitarised i-e phased wised withdrawal of troops from the region
4. A mechanism should be devised jointly so that the road map for Kashmir is implemented smoothly. (Ali Tariq)

Talking to New Delhi TV Channel he stated, “His country would back wide-ranging autonomy or self-governance for Kashmir, with Islamabad and New Delhi jointly supervising the region.” (The Guardian 5 December 2006)

The basic principle of his suggested solution was acknowledgement of the fact that the solution needs to be creative and breaking through the status quo. It was keeping in mind the opinion of the then Prime Minister of India, “there would be “no redrawing of the boundaries on communal lines”.

In light of decades of bitterness and four wars, a joint administration is a pipe dream. However it makes imminent sense to engage in military de-escalation, setting up a self-governance structure for people of Occupied Indian Kashmir.

The suggested solution was a departure from UN Council Resolution number 47 adopted on April 21, 1947. It suggested three step process: Pakistan to withdraw her nationals from Kashmir, India to gradually reduce her armed forces in the disputed territory leaving just an adequate number needed to maintain law and order, last step was appointment of an authorised Administrator by the UN for the specific objective to conduct fair plebiscite.

India cannot continue infinitum denying the proud Kashmiris their right to values Indian government allows Indians.

Normalising of relationships between Pakistan and India with amicable settlement of Kashmir will reap dividends for US in Afghanistan. Till the sore of Kashmir is open, Pakistan will continue to view India’s activities in Afghanistan with hostility. This dispute has a direct impact on US efforts to achieve a stable Afghanistan and addressing the issue of terrorism in the region.

The resoling of this decades old dispute will help US in gaining Pakistan’s full support in achieving stability in Afghanistan. However, US efforts to facilitate a dialogue to resolve this issue have not worked in the past. ‘The Pakistan government finds it difficult to take a firm action against these militant groups when India-Pakistan relations are marked by high-level hostility and India is publicly demanding action against these groups. Improved India-Pakistan relations and resolution of major disputes, including Kashmir, will make these militant groups irrelevant and increase the Pakistani government’s ability to curb them.’ (Council on Foreign Relations July 13, 2009)

US may try back channel diplomacy or involve other regional nations- it will reap dividends. Meaningful steps need to be taken. India is happy to maintain the status quo and has historically found excuses to break out of efforts to hold talks on Kashmir issue. Many proposals can come up in talks; each will have its own glitches. However settlement of this dispute is the right of Kashmiris and a need in establishing peace in Afghanistan.