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Double talk, double standards

Double talk, double standards

The Indian delegation kept insisting on discussing Mumbai attacks. I wonder how they define what is happening in Kashmir.

Zainab Imam July 22, 2010

Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna’s recent visit to Pakistan concluded without much … okay, any … tangible progress.

The Indian delegation kept insisting on discussing terrorism, that is, the Mumbai attacks. I wonder how they define what is happening in Indian Kashmir. In Mumbai, 166 people died over the course of three days. In Indian Kashmir, thousands of people have died over the course of many, many years (there are several tallies of the death toll since there is limited access to the region). Those dead in both cases did not deserve to be killed. Are the killings in Indian Kashmir, then, any less atrocious than the ones in Mumbai?

Terrorism cannot be seen in isolation. Where the Indians insist on talking about the terror attacks on Mumbai, they should take the prolonged terrorism in Indian Kashmir just as seriously. Mumbai is India’s financial capital, hence it is understandable that there must be immense pressure on the government to address the issue. In fact, the pressure is palpable – India has not carried out an execution since 2004 and Ajmal Kasab may be the first case in six years. Further, many Indians, including the families of some of the victims, have long called for Kasab’s execution and the clamour grew stronger after his conviction.

However, even after the Indian Army claimed responsibility for deaths during protests in Srinagar, including that of a 17-year-old boy who was killed during a demonstration, there seems to be no call for justice in India. Pakistanis have been quiet too … the only ones who have raised a voice are religio-political parties who have invoked the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to stop the massacre of Muslims.

The solutions to deadlocks on both issues – Mumbai and Kashmir – will only be found when leaders on both sides are honest about them and consider them of equal importance. Lasting peace will only be established when people are valued for being humans rather than Muslims or Hindus, rich or poor and when “heavens on earth” are given the same importance as “financial capitals”.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2010.

WRITTEN BY:
Zainab Imam A journalist, on a hiatus to pursue a Masters in Public Policy at The University of Chicago. Gender parity advocate, urban policy enthusiast. She tweets @zainabimam (https://twitter.com/zainabimam) and blogs at gulaabjamun.wordpress.com

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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COMMENTS (6)

Harsh | 14 years ago | Reply What locus standii Pakistan has on Kashmir when it gifts away part of 'Azaad' Kashmir to China? Peace will rein in Kashmir the moment Pakistan stops backing those separatists.

Cronous | 14 years ago | Reply "The Indian delegation kept insisting on discussing terrorism, that is, the Mumbai attacks. I wonder how they define what is happening in Indian Kashmir." .. Interesting that you compare a terrorist attack whose sole intention was to kill as many people as possible to a state's attempt to maintain its sovereignty. I guess a nation asserting its control over its territory (even if bloody) is now terrorism? India's response is merely to a bloody insurgency (ostensibly supported by Pakistan) and violent demonstrators and that is why the international community understands India's posistion. .. It is funny that Pakistan yells, kicks, and screams about the violence in Kashmir, all the while it does the same and possibly worse in Balochistan. Those in glass houses should not throw stones.

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Syed Abdul Wahab Gilani | 14 years ago | Reply @RAkesh: We love hitting there where it hurts the most :) Having plethora of problems on our western border we still find India the biggest threat. By the way Rakesh can you name any neighboring of "Credible India" with which India have no dispute to settle? How Pathetic you find every ISI everywhere which sometimes make me think hindustan should rename itself as ISIstan :) Can't you see your political leaders showing money in parliament for buying parliamentarians to join their parties. The claiming to be the biggest democracy in the world have tiny little rat heart. Be a bro to Pakistan and put leashes to "Research and Analyses Wing" both at our borders and in Afghanistan.

Monkey | 14 years ago | Reply Wow, someone (points above) is pissed.

Raakesh | 14 years ago | Reply First stop equating what is happened in Mumbai with Kashmir. When a state's sovereignty is threatened, it is well within its rights to protect itself. And in anycase, the 'paid' stone throwing youth cannot be said to be representing public opinion. Incidentally, Pakistan has to be careful in what it is asking for. A UN plebiscite involves complete withdrawal of the Pakistani army from 'held' Kashmir,i.e. POK! And what business did it have ceding territory to China, territory which did not belong to it in the first place? There is only one problem in Kashmir. Pakistani state sponsored terror! What is ISI doing with the likes of Hafeez Saeed, Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim just to name a few. If we start washing dirty linen in public, Pakistan will be completely naked! Balochistan is just the beginning.Soon in India's calculation, Pakistan's existence with or without nuclear weapons may cease to matter for regional stability. After all, Karachi is already burning. And there grievances in Sindh to be exploited. Not to forget Serakai belt in Punjab.And the unsettled Durand issue in Pakhtunkhawa. A country which cannot hold 2 democratic elections in succession should be very careful when preaching to others. Moral of the story: People living in glasshouses should not throw stones at others.

Ammar Zafarullah | 14 years ago | Reply We cannot draw paralles between Kashmir and Mumbai attacks. As the Mumbai attacks were perpetrated in Pakistan by non-state actors. As a sovereign state Pakistan is responsible for the actions of these groups and they direly effect our foreign policy outlook. The turmoil in Indian Kashmir can not be negated but it comes under state oppression which can be seen in Baluchistan or what happened in Bangladesh in 1971. The international community can put up with state oppression but not with cross border terrorism.

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