And convince the world
Realistically speaking there is no chance of improvement in Pak-India relations any time soon. Modi government is currently under pressure from the protesters in Indian Occupied Kashmir who have defied highly repressive methods to keep the agitation alive forty three days after the killing of Burhan Muzaffar Wani. The Modi government’s resort to excessive force has invited sharp criticism from Congress leaders as well as from politicians in occupied Kashmir, both in power and in the opposition.
The peaceful but determined movement of the Kashmiri people has had a bigger impact on world opinion than terrorist attacks. India cannot call thousands of the Kashmiri youth protesting in the streets a handful of foreign terrorists. Turkey has supported Pakistan’s proposal that OIC send a team to probe human rights violations. Norway has offered to mediate between Pakistan and India and UN Secretary General has condemned killings in the occupied valley, and called for dialogue. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has offered to send fact-finding missions to both Indian-held Kashmir and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
What has irritated the Modi government are statements from Nawaz Sharif maintaining that he is waiting for the day Kashmir becomes part of Pakistan and dedicating the Independence Day to the freedom of Kashmir. Modi has accused Pakistan of human rights violations in Baluchistan and elsewhere. The invitation to Indian External Affairs Secretary to visit Pakistan could not have been rejected by New Delhi as this would have been strongly criticised both inside and outside India. India has accepted the invitation but has sought talks on its own five point agenda which looks like a charge sheet including a demand to surrender AJK. What is needed meanwhile is to avail every opportunity for talks to probe any possibility of improvement in ties without reneging on political and moral support to the Kashimiris. Pakistan has meanwhile to keep close watch to disallow any terrorist infiltration across the LoC. Islamabad should also try hard to convince the world of its stand.
