- It surpasses all bounds of civility
Ever-belligerent India’s hostility in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) has surpassed all bounds of civility. India, as known to the whole world, has shamelessly geared up its acts of brutality in IoK particularly after US President Donald Trump in his one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on July 22 disclosed that in a recent meeting Indian premier Narendra Modi asked him to mediate and resolve the long-pending Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan.
President Trump, without mincing words, vociferously offered to mediate, to bring lasting peace and stability not only to the two, but to the entire region. The whole world stands testimony to this mediation offer.
If I could guess, I am sure others too, who are fully aware of India’s antagonistic attitude to the innocent people of IoK could also guess how India would react. The Indian reaction came forthwith. It was, as expected, extremely vehement and oafish. The Indian government did not take a second to falsify President Trump’s lucid declaration that during one of his recent meetings Modi had asked him to mediate between India and Pakistan to settle the Kashmir dispute.
India’s backtrackings on its utterances and commitments are known to the whole world. It lacks moral courage to stand by what it says. India’s about-turn on the US President’s claim is a glaring example of India’s odious attitude of backtracking, particularly in matters of immense international significance.
Having said all that, one, after the blatant act of withdrawing the special status of Indian held Kashmir by revoking Article 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution by Modi and his associates in the Indian Parliament, is now compelled to think what actually transpired between Modi and Trump in their meeting. Did Modi really seek his mediation on the Kashmir issue, or was it something else he discussed with him and sought his support for? From what India has now barefacedly and unlawfully done by nullifying the special status of Indian held Kashmir, in complete disregard of the UN Resolution of 1948 on occupied Kashmir, it can be lucidly concluded that Indian premier Modi in his meeting with US president Donald Trump did not seek his mediation on the Kashmir issue. In fact, he discussed his ill-motivated and well-thought-out plan to nullify the special status of Indian Occupied Kashmir by revoking the decades-old Article 370 and 35-A which gave a measure of autonomy to the disputed Muslim-majority region, through a presidential decree. To be more specific, the scrapped law granted special status to IoK.
If these assertions are by any means incorrect, let those who asserted that the Indian PM actually solicited US mediation on Kashmir come to the fore immediately and confirm or deny the factual position. None but Donald Trump could do so for obvious reasons. The US government, which is totally silent on the scandalous and unlawful measure taken by the Indian government to invalidate the seven decades-old special status of IoK, must promptly respond to the situation and ask the Indian government to immediately restore the special status of IoK granted to it under Article 370 and 35A. If the USA for some reason fails to do so, not only Pakistan but the entire world would be constrained to consider that the profoundly condemnable measure unilaterally taken by Modi, in total defiance of all norms of international law, has the blessings of Trump and his government.
IoK has been burning for over seven decades. The civilised world is not oblivious of the atrocities that India continues to brazenly commit on the innocent people of Kashmir. It factually has no parallel in world history. The powers that be, in particular, and the entire civilised world, in general, must not only condemn India’s brutal atrocities in occupied Kashmir in the strongest terms but also persuade the Indian government to immediately restore the special status granted to the occupied territory under the articles mentioned above. Pakistan must seek resolution of the long-pending Kashmir issue through the UN Resolution of 1948 which emphasises resolution through grant of the right to self-determination to the browbeaten people of Kashmir. It must not lose a moment to expose India’s highhandedness and commission of heinous crimes in Kashmir. It must proactively raise the issue at all international forums. It must launch a strong diplomatic offensive; knock on the doors of the United Nations and the powers that be to resolve the matter forthwith. Every possible endeavour to mobilise strong world support in favour of the subjugated and inhumanly battered Kashmiri people should be top on the agenda of Pakistan.
The world’s conscience continues to be in deep slumber while Kashmir burns unremittingly. What a shame. Those belonging to the civilised world, who claim to be the preachers and propagators of peace and justice, are totally immune to the atrocities being committed by the ruthless Indian forces in IoK, for over seven decades. They have turned a blind eye to Indian vandalism in IoK and, for some reason, are not prepared to rise to the occasion and persuade India to cease its brutalities in IoK forthwith and bring about an immediate and peaceful settlement to the Kashmir issue.
