by Younus Baig
Kashmir is such a dreadful issue that Pakistan and India have fought three wars and both the countries are at the edge of another bloody fight that might bring catastrophe with it and both the countries, will go back to the stone ages. A leading Arab Newspaper Gulf News in its recent article alarms that the Kashmir issue would be cause of nuclear war between the two rival countries if it is not addressed soon. The Writer Pankaj Mishra says that in recent weeks, a cover story in the Economist on the world's most dangerous border discussed at length the Pakistan's rush to militarize its nuclear capacity, while former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger warned of a pre-First World War, Balkans-like scenario in South Asia that could lead to a global conflict. The Newspaper says Any 'Idiot's Guide to South Asia' will tell you that peace in the region will remain a distant dream until India and Pakistan reach a solution acceptable to Kashmiri Muslims as well as nationalists in both countries. This will initially require, at the very least, India to move its troops out of the Kashmir valley, where during the past two summers hundreds of thousands of Indian soldiers have confronted increasingly nonviolent and overwhelmingly young Muslim protesters.
Kashmir dispute is primarily the issue of Right to Self-determination of more than 14 million people of Jammu and Kashmir. The habitats of the territory have been the worst victims of this deadly conflict. Self-determination of the people is a basic principle and essence of the UN charter, which has been reaffirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and applied countless times to the settlement of international disputes. It is the responsibility of International community to come forward in a big way to impress upon India to resolve the issue.
It goes without saying that Kashmir issue is the main impediment in maintaining peace and prosperity in South Asia. It is India's intransigent attitude due to which the long-standing issue is yet to be resolved. India always on one hand talks about peace but on the other hand it uses brute force to crush the Kashmiris' indigenous struggle. Indian terror troops have been swelling in numbers at a reckless speed to prolong their illegal occupation of the territory, harming the Kashmiris in a very big way. Seven hundred thousand Indian troopers are deployed in every nook and corner of occupied Kashmir and they have turned the lives of people into hell. Torture, disappearances, kidnapping and arresting people is the routine matter in the territory.
When the response of demanding basic inalienable right to self-determination is given to Kashmiris by bullets, torture, catch and kill etc the question arises where is peace, justice and democracy in India? Jammu Kashmir, like Palestine, is a zone where human tragedy has been reigning for decades. The Indian occupation forces have so far killed over 100, 000 innocent Kashmir Muslims.
Noted Indian jurist and Head of New Delhi based Kashmir Committee Ram Jethmalani described the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir as a 'Nazi' outfit, which, according to him, had unleashed a reign of lawlessness in the valley under police-Raj. Kashmir is plagued by bureaucratic arrogance, lawlessness, administrative paralysis, rampant corruption, unending nepotism and unaccountable governance, he added.
It is unfortunate that Indian authorities have been thinking that the Kashmirs' voice would be suppressed by brute force. But one ought to realize that Kashmiris' freedom moment has emerged from the hearts and minds of the people and it cannot be vanished away by malicious tactics. Kashmiris have been well aware that they would have to go through fire and water to reach their destination and their mission is difficult but not impossible.
Pakistan has a crystal clear stance that Kashmir issue must be resolved according to the United Nations' resolutions. Pakistan not only by words but also by deeds has been working for result-oriented dialogue process. If one glances over the history of Pak-India negotiations, he realizes that it is India, which has always been playing melancholic role. Even former Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf went miles forward to show flexibility to resolve the Kashmir issue once for all and he came under fire for showing extra-ordinary softness towards India. But, India on the other hand remained obstinate and was not willing to leave its intransigent stance.
If India would be serious to settle the issue through meaningful dialogue it would accept the suggestions of Kashmiri Hurriyet leaders who demand withdrawal of troops, release of all illegally detained Kashmiri pro-freedom leaders and activists, repeal of draconian laws and inclusion of real Kashmiri leadership in the dialogue process. Hurriyet leadership has been saying in unequivocal terms that negotiations and suppression cannot move side by side. India is supposed to shun its stubborn and obstinate policy over Kashmir and it must come forward with a very positive mindset to resolve the long-standing issue, once for ever. However it can not happen till the Indian leaders do not accept Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory.
Kashmir is such a dreadful issue that Pakistan and India have fought three wars and both the countries are at the edge of another bloody fight that might bring catastrophe with it and both the countries, will go back to the stone ages. A leading Arab Newspaper Gulf News in its recent article alarms that the Kashmir issue would be cause of nuclear war between the two rival countries if it is not addressed soon. The Writer Pankaj Mishra says that in recent weeks, a cover story in the Economist on the world's most dangerous border discussed at length the Pakistan's rush to militarize its nuclear capacity, while former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger warned of a pre-First World War, Balkans-like scenario in South Asia that could lead to a global conflict. The Newspaper says Any 'Idiot's Guide to South Asia' will tell you that peace in the region will remain a distant dream until India and Pakistan reach a solution acceptable to Kashmiri Muslims as well as nationalists in both countries. This will initially require, at the very least, India to move its troops out of the Kashmir valley, where during the past two summers hundreds of thousands of Indian soldiers have confronted increasingly nonviolent and overwhelmingly young Muslim protesters.
Kashmir dispute is primarily the issue of Right to Self-determination of more than 14 million people of Jammu and Kashmir. The habitats of the territory have been the worst victims of this deadly conflict. Self-determination of the people is a basic principle and essence of the UN charter, which has been reaffirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and applied countless times to the settlement of international disputes. It is the responsibility of International community to come forward in a big way to impress upon India to resolve the issue.
It goes without saying that Kashmir issue is the main impediment in maintaining peace and prosperity in South Asia. It is India's intransigent attitude due to which the long-standing issue is yet to be resolved. India always on one hand talks about peace but on the other hand it uses brute force to crush the Kashmiris' indigenous struggle. Indian terror troops have been swelling in numbers at a reckless speed to prolong their illegal occupation of the territory, harming the Kashmiris in a very big way. Seven hundred thousand Indian troopers are deployed in every nook and corner of occupied Kashmir and they have turned the lives of people into hell. Torture, disappearances, kidnapping and arresting people is the routine matter in the territory.
When the response of demanding basic inalienable right to self-determination is given to Kashmiris by bullets, torture, catch and kill etc the question arises where is peace, justice and democracy in India? Jammu Kashmir, like Palestine, is a zone where human tragedy has been reigning for decades. The Indian occupation forces have so far killed over 100, 000 innocent Kashmir Muslims.
Noted Indian jurist and Head of New Delhi based Kashmir Committee Ram Jethmalani described the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir as a 'Nazi' outfit, which, according to him, had unleashed a reign of lawlessness in the valley under police-Raj. Kashmir is plagued by bureaucratic arrogance, lawlessness, administrative paralysis, rampant corruption, unending nepotism and unaccountable governance, he added.
It is unfortunate that Indian authorities have been thinking that the Kashmirs' voice would be suppressed by brute force. But one ought to realize that Kashmiris' freedom moment has emerged from the hearts and minds of the people and it cannot be vanished away by malicious tactics. Kashmiris have been well aware that they would have to go through fire and water to reach their destination and their mission is difficult but not impossible.
Pakistan has a crystal clear stance that Kashmir issue must be resolved according to the United Nations' resolutions. Pakistan not only by words but also by deeds has been working for result-oriented dialogue process. If one glances over the history of Pak-India negotiations, he realizes that it is India, which has always been playing melancholic role. Even former Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf went miles forward to show flexibility to resolve the Kashmir issue once for all and he came under fire for showing extra-ordinary softness towards India. But, India on the other hand remained obstinate and was not willing to leave its intransigent stance.
If India would be serious to settle the issue through meaningful dialogue it would accept the suggestions of Kashmiri Hurriyet leaders who demand withdrawal of troops, release of all illegally detained Kashmiri pro-freedom leaders and activists, repeal of draconian laws and inclusion of real Kashmiri leadership in the dialogue process. Hurriyet leadership has been saying in unequivocal terms that negotiations and suppression cannot move side by side. India is supposed to shun its stubborn and obstinate policy over Kashmir and it must come forward with a very positive mindset to resolve the long-standing issue, once for ever. However it can not happen till the Indian leaders do not accept Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory.
