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| CHORD ATTACHED TO PAKISTAN AND PANDITS | | RETURNING PEACE IN KASHMIR | | Col J P Singh, Retd | 5/22/2011 12:56:52 AM |
| History tends to repeat itself; many a times painfully. This is what has precisely happened in Pakistan after 1971 debacle. Events of 2 May 2011 (Osama elimination) has shattered the myth of power of Pak Army and ISI. Both misconceived powerful institutions of the nation stand ridiculed in the eyes of public at home and powers abroad. How to wriggle out of mess is a great challenge to the political and military leadership of Pakistan. It was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who could mesmerise Indira Gandhi at Shimla and got more than what Pakistan deserved. She showered remarkable generosity on her belligerent neighbour at the critical hour of its greatest humiliation. She pardoned Bhutto for the misdeeds of rouge Army and ISI in their Eastern Wing. She yielded too much at the altar of national interest. Consequently this strengthened civilian govt in Pakistan and enabled it to stand up to its Army and the ISI. For 28 years thereafter there was no war despite military rule in that country. It was no mean achievement for India. Similar humiliation stares in the face of Pakistani security establishments today after Abbottabad episode. By being generous again Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can do what Indira Gandhi and Pt. Nehru did to strengthen democracy and political processes in the backyard of a belligerent neighbour. But is Prime Minister Gilani shrewd enough to win favours from Prime Minister Singh and strengthen his position in Pakistan. Being generous again in the hour of crisis, the posturing will belittle and frustrate the security forces further, strengthen civilian establishments and remove misgivings about India. Threatening poser by ISI Chief are out of turn and sign of frustration in the security establishment when Prime Minister Gilani has reiterated continuation of dialogue and improvement of relations. Such diatribe and stand off apart; let us expect tension free bilateral relations for a longer period, accompanied with return of much desired peace to the strife torn Kashmir.
Capacity to carry out covert action is an indispensable tool in the hands of a state which has an adversary next door. A state resorts to covert actions if it cannot safeguard its national interests through conventional diplomatic, political or military means or when it feels that such conventional means are not feasible. US has done it in Abbottabad. That is what our Army Chief meant, when he said that India had the capability to carry out Abbottabad type action to protect our national interest. The statement was not Pak centric. ISI Chief is misinterpreting the statement to create fear psychosis and to reestablish his credibility.
Presence of terrorist sanctuaries in POK are the stumbling block to peace in Kashmir, resettlement of Pandits and return of normalcy. But the events slowly unfolding after Osama’s elimination and warnings of Senator John Kerry suggest that rest of the terrorist camps, where ever they are, will be targeted by US if not neutralised by Pakistan. Hence the focus of terrorist organizations will now turn from the direction of Kashmir towards West (Af-Pak border) and further West because now onwards they stand threatened from their West and not the East. John Kerry’s admonishments and statements of political leaders emanating from Pak soil are positive and favourable to India.
US could not digest USSR entry in Afghanistan. She created Taliban and used Pakistan to oust them. US will similarly not tolerate presence of Chinese Army’s in Gilgit-Baltistan. Hence US may raise another deadly force to dislodge PLA from Northern Areas and may undertake covert actions in this regards. This would also augur well for India. China is Pakistan’s all weather friend; that is why Prime Minister Gilani is on visit to China. The purpose of the visit is well known. This increases US skepticism against Pakistan. The massive economic aid to Pakistan is under public criticism and review of Congress. This is cause of concern for Pakistan. Reduction in economic aid will cripple Pak economy and destablise the nation. On the contrary it brightens the prospects of respite for India and peace in the valley.
If we analyse history of past millennium, we see that problems and tensions in India commenced with the rise of expansionist Islam. India which was an abode of peace loving Hindus and ruled over Afghanistan, Burma and Srilanka went through periods of bloodiest battles of history, religious oppression and unprecedented strife. India was periodically subjected to raids, loot, Islamic tyranny and forced conversions from its North and West. There have been repeated attempts to create communal strife and divide to rule. Kashmir being a paradisial land and an abode of India’s promising Pandit Community became foreign invaders attractive breeding ground for Islam. Partition of India on religious grounds had a fallout like that of wild fire all around Kashmir but these flames did not engulf the roots of Kashmiryat. Fortunately post independence Muslim political leadership respected the sentiments of minority community and promoted Kashmiryat till ISI sponsored terrorism resorted to indiscriminate killings and ethnic cleansing forcing mass exodus of Pandit Community. Reversal of this migration would signal normalcy and return of Pandits will signal return of peace in the valley.
Pt. Jwahar Lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, a great visionary and brilliant diplomat put India on the path of progress and democracy which continues to flourish. This great Indian has been more generous to Kashmir and Pakistan at the cost of national interest so that India and Pakistan could live in peace and Kashmir would prosper; which did not happen. The reason for the continuous stand off is the mistakes made by our policy makers from time to time. Pt Nehru is blamed for many mistakes he made in his Kashmir policy such as taking Kashmir issue to UNSC, ordering premature ceasefire when the Pak invaders were on the run, accepting to ascertain the will of the people, creation of POK, Article 370 and yielding unlimited powers to Sheikh Abdullah to run the affairs of state. That perhaps is the reason for strife in his own ancestral abode and dismal future of his ethnic community. Too much generosity of father and daughter duo towards estranged neighbour prompts one to raise various questions such as (i) why POK and Northern areas were not cleared of Pak aggression before ordering cease fire in 1948, (ii) why was right to self determination accepted after Sheikh Sahib, the undisputed leader of Muslim community, favoured accession with India, (iii) why Indira Gandhi did not order liberation of POK and Gilgit - Baltistan which are integral part of India after the liberation of East Pakistan when Pak army was crushed to defeat; (iv) why 93,000 prisoners of war were released without obtaining formal recognition of J&K including POK as integral part of India, (v) why Hajipir and Chhamb were given to Pakistan in 1966 without even taking Chicken Neck in lieu and many other such mistakes made. Why was the strategic importance of Kashmir and Northern Areas not predicted by Pt Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadar Shastri and why strategic decisions not taken in national interest. It is also debatable as to why no political and economic safeguards were secured for the Pandits. Appeasement appears to be answer for all the posers. This is the irony of history and the tragedy of Pandit community, which shall continue to haunt the nation for generations to come.
As the things stand today, those who think that Kashmir will be in Pakistan one day are living in fools’ paradise. Polling %ages in ongoing Panchayat election in Kashmir also suggest that people reject separatists agenda and look forward to education, employment, development and better life which they know is complementary to democracy and peace. Kashmir therefore will always be with India despite conspiracies. Infact any sane observer can see that India is all set to be a superpower. Pakistan on the contrary is a failed state where no body is accountable to the nation and no one accepts responsibility of Osama’s presence and Abbottabad humiliation. It is sitting on the volcano of terrorism, drug trafficking and internal insurgency. Ethnic tensions and politics of hate against each other in the govt establishments will soon take it to extinction. Under the circumstances, POK is bound to seek political freedom and Baloch are bound to seek their pound of flesh. With Pakistan caught in the cobweb of internal conflicts and US getting after it seriously clears the decks for return of peace to the valley and honorable return of Pandits. Once the process of return of Pandits starts, Kashmir as an issue will die its own death. The Sikh community continues to live there despite similar dangers, effects and consequences. For everlasting peace in Kashmir, presence of Pandits, Hindus and Sikhs will have to be increased as advocated by the author earlier. Pandits will have to be honorably resettled and majority community taken on board for return of peace. Elected legislators have an important role in the restoration of normalcy. Peace and prosperity is the end all and be all of Indian domestic and foreign policy which must be achieved even if it involves appeasement of Pakistan on one side and separatist on the other.
( The writer is a columnist, political analyst and social worker, can be assessed at [email protected] )
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