Now or never

The Kashmir issue is once again being taken to the UNSC. The intensity and frequency of atrocities being committed in Occupied Kashmir has never been the same as today. The latest in the series of heinous tactics employed by the extremist BJP is the revocation of Article 35-A and Article 370 of the Indian constitution. Now that the issue is being taken to the UNSC, the real test of the current government starts. How shrewdly we present our case and how we use our Foreign Office will definitely determine the future of Kashmir.

The UN Security Council’s P5 will actually determine the fate of Kashmir. This is the time to make the best use of PM Imran Khan’s personal contacts in the UK to prevent a British veto. China will obviously not use a veto because of its own interests in Pakistan. Russia might prove troublesome. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood should use his experience and try to persuade Russia to not veto the move. The US might prove to be the biggest problem. Only the prime minister can persuade Donald Trump to not blackout of his promise to act as an arbiter in the Kashmir dispute. This is perhaps the best time for him to act as a mediator. France has a history of using its veto power sparingly, so hopefully it won’t prove much of a menace. This is the grandest stage at which we can highlight the Kashmir issue and internationalise it. Doing so could be considered a triumph for Pakistan and truly a diplomatic victory over India. A failure to persuade the P5 will prove to be a huge upset. Not only will it be disastrous for Kashmir alone but also for Pakistan’s own global image and standing. Its now or never.

Mohammad Khalid Bhatti

Rawalpindi