Pakistan’s Kashmir Policy Needs Aggressive Approach – OpEd
Both, the figure of human rights violation, and the intensity of the ongoing oppression in Kashmir, by the Indian government, have been increasing persistently, since the abrogation of article 370 on August 5, 2019. Recently, Pakistan, shared another dossier -highlighting Indian war crimes in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to the United Nation. Now, Prime Minister Imran intends to hight light the human rights violation in the region. and will call for global efforts to restore the peace in the region, during his address to UN General Assembly’s session. Yesterday, Turkish President also raked up Kashmir issue during This will not be the first time, PM Khan have also highlighted the Kashmir cause during General Assembly sessions, in past too. Does PM Khan able to get the international support to restore peace in the region?
Achieving, sustaining, and promoting peace in the region, are always the priority of Pakistan, despite of it, whoever the leader is. Facilitating the foreigners for their safely exit from Afghanistan, after the Taliban control over Kabul, is the latest example of it. Although, accommodating them in such a large number, could also create challenges for them, and Pakistan’s national security too, but credit goes to Pakistan forces -including Army and federal Police, and intelligence agencies, those managed it peacefully. Now, questioning the Pakistan effort for peace promotion in the region, and country security order, is some coarsen thought. While, cancelling the cricket series, earlier by New Zealand’s (minutes before the first match) and then England, on the conspiracy developed in India, not only harmed the country’s reputation but hurt the cricket lover’s sentiments too.
No matter, what the situation is – either it is chaos in Afghanistan, violence in Israel or the continuing war crimes in Kashmir, PM Khan have always been making efforts to bring global attention to the issue, since his admission into practical politics, while following Pakistan’s political trend. Recently, Pakistan -on the behalf Organization of Islamic Cooperation, submitted a written statement to address the increasing human right violation in Kashmir and Palestine, before commencing the 75th session of General Assembly, and the Kashmiri Hurriyat Leaders also welcomed Pakistan’s moves for the restoration of Peace. Although, every time, states expressed their concern on the human rights violation in Kashmir through a diplomatic statement only, declares the ‘Indian Illegal Occupation in Jammu and Kashmir’ as India’s internal issue, which refers to ‘like the big players- particularly the West, are no longer recognize the United Nations Security Council Resolution 39”. If it is, it means that these states are now repudiate their former decision on which UNSC Resolution 39 was passed. However, Experts have been expressed their reservation on West’s silence on the issue.
Since the Abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan has been made various efforts including requesting the international community for action, even by providing the verified references. Now, Islamabad needs to slightly change its policy actions towards Kashmir. while, locating at the juncture of two nuclear states, it has to take the advantage of its geographical proximity. On a bigger canvas, Pakistan have borders with Afghanistan and Iran- the two countries have not good relations with the West, contemporarily, and, in Afghanistan, it has been proved that now peace has been sustaining since the withdrawal of United States. On the other side, while having Pakistan enjoying relations with China. Pakistan needs to be adopted rational policies in the international arena, and have to tackle India geo-strategically, and have respond to India in the same way she behaves in Kashmir. We also know that the Kashmir conflict could bring the two nuclear states -India and Pakistan, to war, but these two states and the world too, would to in favour of war- that may turn into nuclear crises. By adopting such aggressive approach, the international community would definitely come in action to settle down the conflict between India and Pakistan, to restore the peace in the valley.
*The author teaches at Department of International Relations, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. He can be reached at bhqazi[at]gmail.com