Fai and Kashmir

Pakistani efforts in Kashmir continue to be marred by suspicion in DC.

Amidst the Nato crisis between Pakistan and the US, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai has pleaded guilty to receiving $4 million from the ISI. The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the US requires those who receive funding or lobby on behalf of a foreign government to register as foreign agent. Thus Fai’s crime was that he did not file the correct paperwork declaring that he was working with a foreign government. The US Indian Political Action Committee (USINPAC) and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are not, however, held to the same standards. They are not registered under FARA because USINPAC claims it focuses only on the Indian American community, whereas AIPAC states that it does not receive funding from Israel. However, it is difficult to separate the policies of these two groups from those of India and Israel. India-friendly policies proposed by USINPAC promote India’s national interest as well. For instance, USINPAC played a role in pushing the US-India nuclear deal through the US Congress. Meanwhile, AIPAC lobbies for financial aid to Israel, securing up to $3 billion annually, making Israel the largest collective recipient of US aid over the past 60 years.

Lobbying in the US is not strictly an Israeli and Indian sport; in fact, it is a legal activity permissible to all. For example, Turkey hired lobbyists on Capitol Hill to prevent a resolution from classifying the atrocities committed in Armenia as genocide. Morocco spent around $3.5 billion on lobbying in Congress to ensure its plan for Western Sahara was accepted. The Kashmir American Council (KAC) was no exception; it is amongst the numerous organisations that promote the interests of foreign states.

According to the FBI report, the KAC had received up to $700,000 annually from Pakistan to make contributions to US politicians in order to influence US policy on Kashmir. Dr Fai operated overtly; he held seminars and his guests included political leaders, human rights groups, diplomats and journalists. His aim was to raise awareness about the plight of the Kashmiris and also to find a solution to the Kashmir issue. Nonetheless, these public events threatened US national security and Fai was arrested. From an American standpoint, aversion to Fai’s activities seems bizarre. He was only promoting the cause of self-determination for the Kashmiris and we should not forget that the right to self-determination has always been a strong tool of US foreign policy — even if it is used selectively.

In reality, the US has always steered clear of Kashmir, other than reiterating support for a bilateral settlement between India and Pakistan on the issue. When President Obama first took office in 2008, he had called for a comprehensive regional solution linking Kashmir to problems on the AfPak border. However, the Indian lobby proved successful in getting the nation excluded and, furthermore, prevailed in pressuring the US not to mention Kashmir. So Obama, like his predecessors, caved in and the Indians got their way. During his visit, Obama reached a $10 billion trade deal with India in hopes of creating 50,000 new jobs. America, the champion of human rights, can overlook the abuses by the Indian military in Kashmir, as long as India is willing to use American bullets along the disputed territory.

Pakistani efforts in Kashmir continue to be marred by suspicion. Indian lobbyists work overtime in DC, their military applies excessive force and their intelligence uses coercion to successfully maintain a stranglehold on the region. All of this is performed under the guise of Kashmir being an internal problem which should be resolved between the two neighbours. Fai violated this hypocritical principle by attempting to lobby for Kashmiris within the disputed territory who are subject to gross human rights violations on a daily basis. Nonetheless, we can all rest easy now since Fai has been arrested and justice has been served.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2011.