Living in cage in Kashmir

The Pakistani envoy at the UN, speaking to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, reminded the world recently for Kashmiri people life under India’s brutal occupation is to “live in an armed cage in the silence of a graveyard.” The Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural matters, listened in abject horror as it was told that “a large number of children have been picked up in night-time raids. Harrowing stories abound of widespread torture and arbitrary arrests; of how thousands, including children have been taken away from their homes, without any trace.” Incidentally, Indian HR activists have filed a complaint with the Supreme Court to ensure protection of children after the media reported that many had been detained, beaten, or denied safe access to schools. Indian Police provided a list of 144 children, one as young as 9, who had been taken into custody.

According to Indian writer, Shivam Vij, “Desperate to move fast and break things, Modi acts first and thinks later.” He says the “Modi government’s policy-making is marked by the absence of causal evidence and planning. Having dismantled the state of Jammu & Kashmir without any due process, using the Governor’s stamp after keeping the J&K assembly under suspension, the government decides to find reasons. Article 370, it says, was coming in the way of development and fighting terrorism. There is absolutely no evidence of this. Worse, the government doesn’t feel the need to give any evidence. No study, no commission of inquiry, no consultation, no nothing. How does it matter that Article 370 may actually have helped in the development of J&K?”

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has refused to succumb to Indian pressure for changing his stance on the Kashmir issue. “We don’t give criticism to side with anyone, but we call for both parties to discuss, use arbitration or go to the court of law, not to resort to violence,” he said while speaking to the media at parliamentary lobby in Kaula Lumpur. He also urged finding ways and means to sort out the Kashmir dispute, saying that he had raised the issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during their meeting in the Russian city of Vladivostok. The Malaysian PM reiterated the Kashmir dispute must be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions. “Despite UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied. India should work with Pakistan to resolve this problem as ignoring the UN will lead to other forms of disregard for the UN and the rule of law,” he said.

On the other hand, India is planning to reduce imports from Malaysia due to Mahathir’s stance. Following his address at the UNGA, #BoycottMalaysia was launched by the supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, the Indian media is wailing over the Joint Communiqué between Pakistan and China that mentioned about Kashmir and the UN resolution on IOK at the end of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Beijing. Ahead of Xi-Modi meeting, New Delhi said it did not welcome comments on its internal matters in response to a reference to "relevant" UN resolutions. “The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues,” the statement had said. “The Chinese side responded that it was paying close attention to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.”

Last month, there was a brawl between Indian and Chinese forces over Pangong Lake in the Ladakh region, hurling stones and abusing each other. China and India share more than 3,500 kilometres undemarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) between them. As it is, India had been badly thrashed by the PLA in the 1962 war.

The abrogation of Article 370 has internationalized the Kashmir dispute. It has also exposed Hindutva’s agenda and sidelining of Indian Muslims. If the Modi Sarkar thinks the Kashmir issue will fade away, it has once again blundered.