news details |
|
|
| Kashmir a political issue, says Imran Khan | | Idea Of Peace | |
RUSTAM
JAMMU, Mar 16: During his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal in Islamabad (Pakistan) yesterday, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan urged upon India to recognise Kashmir “dispute” as a “political issue” and suggested that “a totally new thinking is required to move forward on Kashmir”. He underlined the need for composite dialogue on Kashmir issue and a “roadmap” that will “help disarm the militants and help reduce the Indian military presence” in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, who is known for his extreme views on India and its Jammu and Kashmir, was with Khan during the meeting. Kasuri, who joined the Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) only recently, also vouched for “totally new thinking” so that the possibility of war between India and Pakistan is averted on a permanent basis. At the same time, he made it loud and clear that that “Kashmir cannot be put on backburner”. Kasuri supported Khan’s vision and referred to the need for “peace with honour” with regard to Kashmir. It would not be out of place to mention here that it was the same Kasuri who had equated the Union Home Secretary P K Pillai with Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed. And that, too, in the presence of Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna while addressing a joint press conference at Thimpu.
As for the Indian High Commissioner Sabharwal, he said, “commercial relations between the two countries are on track”. “India is working to ease visa regime. Both countries are trying to address each other’s concerns on trade and non-tariff barriers in India,” he also reportedly said. In other words, while the Pakistani leaders discussed with the Indian High Commission the issue of Kashmir and vouched for a political solution that resolve political problem in Kashmir politically, “disarm the militants and help reduce the Indian military presence” in Jammu and Kashmir, the latter discussed with them trade and commerce. Sabharwal, as per reports, did not counter the Pakistani leaders by putting the Kashmir issue in perspective and calling the Pakistani bluff.
The Indian High Commissioner should have candidly told Khan and Kasuri that there is no problem of Jammu and Kashmir; that it’s problem in Kashmir; that the problem in Kashmir is neither constitutional nor a political one; that it is basically a problem of uncontested politics of communalism in Kashmir. By not doing so he simply vindicated those in India who say that the Government of India has always tried to address the Kashmir issue by incremental surrenders or by creating a process of circumventing it. It’s unfortunate that New Delhi has failed in tackling Pakistan and defeating its territorial ambitions. Will New Delhi ever rise to the occasion and behave like any self-respective state behaves? Every Indian would welcome the idea of peace between India and Pakistan but not at the cost of the territorial integrity of India.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
