India fails on Kashmir again
Monday, July 19, 2010
By Abdul Zahoor Khan Marwat
The recent Pakistan-India talks have failed to produce results on account of the stubborn Indian attitude. For some people, the outcome of the recent talks may be a surprise.
But for many in Pakistan, it was expected keeping in view the fact that New Delhi has always adopted an unrealistic attitude towards resolution of the core issue, Kashmir, the burning problem of the region for which a solution has to be found to move forward. Unfortunately, this time too, it was not to be so.
Political observers are of the view that the continuation of dialogue process is the only way forward for any amicable settlement of outstanding disputes between India and Pakistan. However, till the time Indian government is not forced by domestic pressures (uprising in Kashmir, North, East or elsewhere) for resumption of meaningful dialogue with Pakistan, India will never be serious in any dialogue and thus the fate of Kashmir will continue to hang in the balance.
The world community needs to be made aware that resolution of Kashmir issue is a prerequisite for peace and stability in the region because of the ensuing factors.
First, the problem has led to three wars between Pakistan and India and continues to be the linchpin that would determine the fate of the region. For any sane person, Kashmir, therefore, is one issue that has to be taken up and resolved urgently and justly so that it does not once again erupt in an another Indo-Pak war.
Second, the Kashmir issue tends to boil up from time to time on account of human rights abuses committed by the Indian forces. At present, the valley is again in turmoil as Indian forces have carried out fake encounters, killing innocent Kashmiris and then terming them as infiltrators. If the issue is amicably resolved, the frustration of the Kashmiris would ebb.
Third, a flare-up between Pakistan and India on Kashmir is dangerous for the region as both countries are overt nuclear powers. As such, the world wants India to adopt a realistic attitude towards the resolution of the problem. Everybody realises this but not New Delhi.
Fourth, India cannot continue to push the Kashmir issue under the carpet on account of the Mumbai attacks. The policy to make the relationship between the two countries hostage to Mumbai will not work in the long term.
According to an influential American think tank, the RAND Corporation, the US should take an active role in resolving the Kashmir dispute. It says that this policy would complicate bilateral relations in the short term but the long-term benefits would be worthwhile.
It adds that Kashmir poses a serious challenge to the counter-terrorism coalition of which Pakistan is a key member. This opinion is shared by most independent analysts and observers throughout the world. So the plain fact is that India cannot continue to hide behind curtains on the Kashmir issue. As the time passes, more complications in the resolution of the Kashmir issue could arise.
India fails on Kashmir again
