The grim security situation in IOK and Afghanistan poses a grave threat to regional peace and security
SARGODHA: Prime Minister Imran Khan has restricted himself to Twitter and television to express his fury over Indian aggression in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A.
The grim security situation in IOK and Afghanistan poses a grave threat to regional peace and security. It, thus, requires utmost assiduity and a dynamic diplomacy to make the world leaders realise the gravity of the situation. The PM lately said that wars never resolve issues. They have already caused a tremendous amount of damage to his country and its economy. He needs to ponder that his rhetoric will not help get rid of the crisis and a peaceful resolution of the dispute is unlikely to happen. The Indian media and intelligence agencies have kick-started a propaganda campaign that Pakistan might help Taliban fighters to infiltrate into Kashmir to support Kashmiris’ freedom struggle. The accusation followed Donald Trump’s recent statement regarding the consequences of US troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan as he warned the neighbouring countries, including India, of the serious repercussions once the US troops leave Afghanistan. Though the Government of Pakistan has refuted such allegations and termed it a pretext for war, India sticks to its claim.
At this point in time the government has to realise that telephone diplomacy and mere condemnations of the Indian barbarism in occupied Kashmir will not end this terrible humanitarian crisis. The PM has to take the lead. He must adopt proactive and dynamic diplomatic approach not a reactive one if he genuinely wants to act as the ambassador of Kashmiris. The US president himself has consistently expressed his desire to become an arbitrator or mediator to resolve the longstanding issues between Pakistan and India, Including the Kashmir dispute. The long-awaited peace deal between the US and the Afghan Taliban is yet to happen with Pakistan to play a key role. Pakistan has this huge opportunity to convince the US leadership to exert pressure on the Indian government for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue before it ignites a nuclear war between the two countries.
Moreover, as the government has decided to take the matter to the ICJ and that the prime minister will address the UN General Assembly’s session this month, it will be a great platform for exposing Indian atrocities in IOK and its nefarious designs to wage a nuclear war. With a robust diplomatic strategy, we should urge the world leaders to intervene for provision of justice to the Kashmiris according to the UN resolutions. This would help peace and stability both in the region and the world.
Tariq Mehmood Khalid
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2019.
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