KARACHI:
As India aims to undermine Pakistan’s arguments and image through baseless allegations of state-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir, Afghanistan and India, it is imperative that Pakistan’s Kashmir policy needs to be embedded within the national framework. With India pitching for a permanent seat in the UNSC along with its attempt to place Pakistan in the FATF blacklist, the situation is now or never for Pakistan.
India under Modi’s administration is determined to eliminate Kashmir’s political identity through its repressive policies, with genocide being the last resort. It will continue to foster its Kashmir policy because not doing so will be suicidal for the Indian government and will consequently assert massive pressure on Pakistan to accept LoC as international border. However, with India’s instigation and aggressive policy reaching its zenith, it is necessary for Pakistan to avoid a nuclear war with India at all costs — an end which will affect the lives of millions and millions of people in the subcontinent.
Since there are no risk-free or cost-free policy options for Pakistan over Kashmir, an integrated, realistic and prudent Kashmir policy may allow us to fight the odds. But most importantly, Pakistan needs to understand the provisions in its own constitution regarding Kashmir. In doing so, it can invite the Kashmiris to trust Pakistan’s fidelity to its own constitution obligation towards them.
Hadia Mukhtar
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2020.
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