As Kashmiris today face bloodshed, human rights violations, and occupation of their land way back on October 27, 1947, by India; they seem to be more committed than ever in realizing their birthright of freedom and emancipation. It was on January 5, 1949, when the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan adopted a resolution that guaranteed the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination through an impartial plebiscite. Kashmiris and Pakistanis celebrated the Right to Self-Determination Day on January 5 to remind the United Nations of implementing its own resolutions.
Kashmir is a well-recognized international dispute and Nehru took up the matter of dispute at the United Nations for international mediation. At United Nations, Kashmir is a disputed part of South Asia and Kashmiris are the main party along with India and Pakistan. UN passed resolutions that Kashmiris will decide about their fate whether they want to live with Pakistan, India, or as an Independent State. Kashmiris are fighting for their right to self-determination since partition. The right to self-determination now stands more advocated than ever when the international community is more concerned and very well aware of human rights. thousands of INGOs and human Rights activists are working in every region.
India always knew that majority of the Kashmiris will decide to live in Pakistan or will decide to be an independent State and India will be lost the legal war at international forums so cunningly India used force and entered a large section of Armed Forces into Kashmir and occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiris on both sides and across the World always conveyed to the international community that they reject India’s illegal occupation of their homeland and will continue their struggle to achieve their absolute right to self-determination. They always protested at every level with their limited capacity that 27 October 1947, the Indian troops had invaded Jammu and Kashmir and occupied it in violation of the Partition Plan of the Sub-Continent and against the Kashmiris’ aspirations.
Unfortunately, India used a few families of Kashmiris like Muftis and Abdullahs to deceive the world as well as the Kashmiri community that native Kashmiris of Jammu and Kashmir are against Pakistan and supporting India. They always treated the pro-Pakistan leadership of Kashmir as outsiders and always targeted them as enemies. They faced torcher, killings, house arrests, rape of Kashmiri women, and journalists’ abductions. Puppet governments of Kashmir enjoyed the perks given by the Indian government. They made a chump of their followers that Kashmir is an Independent State; under the umbrella of Special Status disputed region for many decades. Now, this ex-pro-Indian leadership of Kashmir lasts their credibility and trust in Kashmir. Indians are portraying them as traitors and blackmailers when they voiced for revocation of special status.
Their walls of mirrors broke when the Modi govt removed Articles 370and 35 a and eliminated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. They could not do anything when the so-called autonomy of the state did not restore since 2019, although they jointly condemned and protested the Indian govt decision did not change. They protested but went all in vain. Whatever Hurriyat leaders and Pakistan were saying about the Indian forceful occupation of the disputed territory became fact and truth became crystal clear to every Kashmiri and the international community.
India at the international level said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between Pakistan and India and will not accept any kind of interference or mediation. Pakistan always emphasized that Kashmiri leadership especially Hurriyat leadership must be part of the negotiation between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir but India always denied Pakistan’s offer. Now India is portraying that only Azad Kashmir is the issue and Jammu & Kashmir is part of India but this will not work. Neither Kashmiris nor Pakistan will accept this. Modi govt could propagate through its Media and satisfied their voters and supporters but will not work at the International level or regional level.
It is a well-established fact that misadventures of Indian forces have turned South Asia into a hotspot, and had widely known as a nuclear flashpoint as countries are in the possession of Nuclear Weapons. Both countries fought conventional wars and skirmishes in the wake of a series of ceasefire violations and other acts of violence, terrorist propaganda campaigns perpetrated by Indian Forces, over a long period.
Its cohorts in India to instigate violence: lynching, massacres, and pogroms against Muslims. Non-compliance with UNHCR and United Nations resolutions is the norm of India. Democracy is measured through strong democratic norms, inclusiveness, willing participation of the public at large in the democratic process, and the principle of equality. Hardly any of these attributes exist in Indian Democracy. Fake glamorization Democracy will not work where Modi’s Politics of Hate come for India’s Christians, amid Calls to Kill Muslims, ban on Mother Treasa’s NGO, humiliating Dalits, and an app created on a repository hosting service named ‘Bulli Bai’ was allegedly found auctioning pictures of Muslim women, months after some unidentified persons created a similar app ‘Sulli deals’ where photographs of hundreds of Muslim women, sourced from their social media accounts, was uploaded and auctioned and most recent Hijab Row in India, is evident about Hindutva terror is prevailing in India as Modi sets the benchmark for the treatment of minorities and other political parties are all falling in line with the majoritarian project.
Another important point that I would like to highlight is that the complete onus lies with the Imran Khan govt that after the Afghanistan issue Pakistan now has one main issue to fully focus on is Kashmir dispute. Govt must accelerate the process to highlight the Indian atrocities in United Nations and got support from China and Russia. Especially PM Imran Khan did well and highlighted Kashmir Issue at every possible international event and forum. Imran Khan revived the Kashmir issue after the Musharraf govt. While China has supported Pakistan every time on an international level regarding the Kashmir issue but Russia always vetoed resolutions against India in past. Imran Khan must highlight the Kashmir dispute and discuss with the Russian President as if Imran Khan’s narrative of Islamophobia got coverage internationally and international leaders like Russian President Putin, Turkish PM Erdogan, and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau condemned Islamophobia respectively supported Imran Khan’s narrative.
Imran Khan can bring change in the thoughts of the international community and Russia about the Kashmir issue as well. Pakistan is an important country as Ukrainian Ambassador to Pakistan Markiyan Chojak during Media Briefing said that “Pakistan should play its role to solve the Ukraine issue. Russia wants to occupy Ukraine by invading it. Pakistan is a nuclear power and it should play its role.” Even though, Imran Khan clearly said that Pakistan will not be part of any block and wants good relations with every country. Imran must do whatever is in his capacity to calm down tension. He must remind the UN again and again that it must implement its relevant resolutions to settle the Kashmir dispute.
One thought on “Pakistan as a third party in Kashmir dispute”
Can Pakistan keep Kashmir with it? Is the economic condition of the states joining Pakistan better than the states joining India? Can the right to self-determination demanded in Kashmir be given to the state of Kalat?