India fails to see the ultimate reality

• No surprises there!

After prolonged deferment of local bodies elections for 13 years in IHK, the Indian government held the first phase of the polls on 8^th October which were marred by tensions, shutter down strikes and protests. India inducted 40,000 more troops to handle the ever deteriorating law and order situation in the valley and also put under house arrest leaders of the freedom movement like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar. Reportedly, the people overwhelmingly responded to the calls for boycott and the turn out in the valley was dismally low at 8.3pc, which was ranting proof of the fact that the people of IHK abhorred continued occupation of their land by Indian security forces and were not prepared to compromise on their right of self-determination.

It is pertinent to point out that the governor of the IHK Satya Pal Malik who is handling the affairs in the state after the fall of PDP-BJP alliance in June this year, dilating on the situation in IHK while speaking to Indian Express on 3^rd October confessed that India had made mistakes and had alienated itself from the people of Kashmir.

The reality is that the freedom movement in the Indian Held Kashmir has become irrepressible and the issue can only be resolved through a process of dialogue between the parties to the dispute as was also pointed out by the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat. According to the India media the general in an exclusive interview with The Economic Times in June said that he supported dialogue to solve the ongoing problems in Kashmir. He reportedly said “Talks must happen. We kill them and more of them join. Infiltration can be controlled, but this cycle of recruitment of local youth can go on and on. So let us give peace a chance and see” The statement by the Indian army chief corroborated the credentials of the freedom movement as an indigenous phenomenon contrary to the Indian stance and underlined the need for a negotiated settlement which ultimately will have to be resorted to.

The observation of the Indian army chief about more and more youth joining the freedom movement is amply corroborated by the martyrdom of Mannan Wani a student of PhD at Aligarh University who quit the programme to join the ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen the biggest group of freedom fighters. Mannan wani in his letter to the Indian media in July had said “We are soldiers. We do not fight to die but to win, we do not feel dignity in death but we feel dignity in fighting Indian occupation, its military might, its possession, its tyranny, its collaborators and most of all, its ego” There was a complete shutter down in the valley to protest against his death and people came out in their thousands to register their resentment.

India is endangering peace and security in the region. Disputes and conflicts cannot be resolved through barrel of the gun. They require removal of the causes that led to the conflict

The freedom movement in IHK which started in 1989 has gained more intensity since the killing of Burhan Wani in 2016. The ruthless oppression by the Indian forces, senseless killings and violation of human rights has not been able to subdue the flame of freedom in IHK and it is gaining more and more momentum with every passing day. But India fails to see the ultimate reality. Thriving on the indifference of the UN, World Community and the powers like USA and its allies it is continuing to spill the blood of the people of Kashmir with impunity, notwithstanding the fact that the first ever UNHCR report released on June 14 pointed out the systematic violations of the fundamental rights of the Kashmiris.

The resolution of the Kashmir dispute is the responsibility of the UN. Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi was right on the money to point out while addressing the UN General Assembly on 9^th October that as a party to the Kashmir dispute it was a long-standing obligation of the UN to find its peaceful settlement. Regretting the non-implementation of the UN resolution that pledged plebiscite in Kashmir to decide the question of accession she said, “Pakistan seeks a negotiated solution to the dispute whereas India does not” The continued violations of the ceasefire agreement of 2013 by the Indian security forces along LOC and the working boundary and the belligerent posturing of the Indian leaders amply testify to the fact that India was not interested in peace and security in the region, more so in resolving the Kashmir dispute.

India is endangering peace and security in the region. Disputes and conflicts cannot be resolved through barrel of the gun. They require removal of the causes that led to the conflict. The people of Kashmir are fighting for their right of self-determination as enshrined in the UN resolutions and also repeatedly promised by the Indian leaders like Nehru. The Indian somersault on its commitments regarding plebiscite under the auspices of the UN in 1957 taking the position that the question of the accession of Kashmir stood resolved as the constituent assembly of IHK had declared Kashmir’s accession to India was strongly repudiated by the UN through its resolution number 91 and 122.

Therefore, Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of the partition waiting for its fulfillment through the UN sponsored plebiscite. There is no way India can kill the freedom movement with oppression and there is also no way Pakistan can be forced to withdraw from its taken position on the issue. The UN as a peace promoting entity has the obligation to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan’s permanent representative while welcoming the formation of Secretary General’s High Level Advisory Board on Mediation, rightly reminded the world body that the Jummu and Kashmir dispute was one of the earliest applications of Chapter VI of the UN Charter which deals with pacific settlements of disputes.