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Friday, March 29, 2024

Move towards active diplomacy on Kashmir: Ambassador Abdul Basit

News analysis |

Veteran diplomat and Pakistan’s former High Commissioner to New Delhi, Abdul Basit has called upon the country to engage in robust diplomacy in order find a solution to the simmering dispute in Kashmir.

Officially maintaining neutrality, the US has in effect, pandered to India’s stated position on the issue. Hence the need for a proactive policy on part of Pakistan is needful

While speaking at a seminar titled “Indian Designs to Change Demography of Kashmir — Violation of UN Resolutions and International Law”, organised by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) and the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), Basit said that India has successfully created and sold the narrative that it is not facing a freedom struggle but terrorism in Kashmir. He said that it is important for Pakistan to abandon its apologetic stance on Kashmir and aggressively engage the world community in the dispute.

Read more: Pakistan finally learns what it must do to help Kashmiris

“We need to make a productive policy as the people of Kashmir are not ready to accept the Indian control. We don’t have to start back door diplomacy as it will not be productive,” he said. The current wave of resistance is more potent and brazen; it started with the martyrdom of the fiery freedom fighter, Burhan Wani last year.

Pakistan still expects international mediation to resolve the issue, something which India rebukes. In this backdrop, Pakistan cannot be optimistic about US support in the Kashmir saga

The Indian security forces are challenged not only by armed fighters but also by gritty Kashmiris; young and old. India has blamed Pakistan for the current upsurge; ties have gone from bad to worse as both countries have often exchanged bullets over the past years.

Amid all the tensions, India has linked Kashmir with terrorism. Delhi reiterates that Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism does not make a good environment for talks. Basit said India is not ready for talks over Kashmir.

Read more: Kashmir on fire: Has Pakistan really helped the cause?

US support

India’s narrative regarding Kashmir has gone down well with the US. The designation of Mr. Salahuddin as a Global terrorist and the Hizbul Mujahideen as a terrorist organization is, in all earnestness a massive victory for Delhi. Pakistan has time and again implored the world community to recognize the legitimacy of Kashmir’s freedom struggle and take note of colossal human rights violations by Indian forces in the valley.

DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif criticized the designation of Hizbul Mujahideen as a terrorist organization, reminding the US that the Kashmiri struggle is legitimate and recognized by the UN

However, since the past week, Pakistan has ratcheted up the issue of Kashmir. In a tell-all press conference, DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif criticized the designation of Hizbul Mujahideen as a terrorist organization, reminding the US that the Kashmiri struggle is legitimate and recognized by the UN; hence its equation with terrorism is incorrect. The statement of the National Security Committee also iterated the very line in an all-important meeting last week.

Read more: Attack on Indian Army in Uri, Kashmir, Pakistan & United States:…

Given that Islamabad’s ties are strained with both, Delhi and Washington, Kashmir becomes a more flashy flash point between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistan still expects international mediation to resolve the issue, something which India rebukes. In this backdrop, Pakistan cannot be optimistic about US support in the Kashmir saga. While officially maintaining neutrality, the US has in effect, pandered to India’s stated position on the issue. Hence the need for a proactive policy on part of Pakistan is needful.