Back to basics

Pakistan’s Foreign Office, its foreign minister and the ISPR have all expressed displeasure over the continued violations by India of the ceasefire on cross-border firing signed in 2003. Over the past week, at least three persons in Azad Kashmir, including a four year old boy, had been killed in such firing and almost a dozen injured. The Indian deputy high commissioner has once again been summoned. But it appears New Delhi has no intention to change its policy or to work for the peace the region so badly needs. Pakistan has expressed dismay over reports that 10,000 more Indian troops are to be deployed in Indian-occupied Kashmir. The deployment has created panic among people in the valley and aggravated fears that India may be planning to do away with special provisions in the constitution which give Kashmir autonomous status.

The valley has suffered continued unrest since the summer of 2017 when Burhan Wani was killed. Things became even worse after the Pulwama attack of February this year, leading to a roundup of scores of Kashmiri freedom activists. Currently, scores of these activists remain behind bars with no definite charges against them. About a hundred were originally taken into custody. This too is not comforting to the Kashmiri people. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has pointed out to the US that India’s quite obvious lack of intention to follow international agreements and maintain peace on the eastern border makes it harder for Pakistan to tackle matters on its western front which include Afghanistan. There has also been suspicion expressed by analysts that India is attempting to use its influence in Afghanistan to damage Pakistan’s interests.

US President Donald Trump has meanwhile reiterated his offer to mediate in Kashmir on the sidelines of an Asian security summit. His suggestion that Modi and Imran Khan could get on well and that he was willing to act as arbitrator was instantly rejected by India once more, which has stressed that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between the two countries. Trump had said while meeting Khan in Washington earlier this month that Modi had requested him to act as a mediator on Kashmir. India had not hesitated to dismiss this and there seems to be no indication it is changing its perspective on the idea of Trump coming into the picture.

The Modi government has already suggested that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan holds that the issue of Kashmir, like others between India and Pakistan, need to be resolved through dialogue between all stakeholders. Shah Mehmood Qureshi has also warned the situation on Pakistan’s western border is linked to attacks across the Line of Control. Chinese construction workers have meanwhile been pulled out of Azad Kashmir given the new threat. In Indian-held Kashmir too, there is fear and growing uncertainty. There are no signs that things are moving in a positive direction or that India is willing to see good sense. The routes forward seem blocked right now and the international community needs to come in to help open them. Trump does not seem to have found a way in. Perhaps others will be more successful, for the sake of the Kashmiri people who badly need an end to the misery inflicted on them for decades.