By Aisha Saeed
Kashmir is once again in national and international headlines after India, while violating the UN Security Council resolution, revoked Kashmir’s special status and made the valley ‘part of its territory’. The move invited criticism both from the Indian journalists and human rights organisations. Amnesty International has also warned that the move could “cause unrest and wide scale protests in the state.”
India had also recently ordered the deployment of additional paramilitary forces in Kashmir, fearing backlash from revoking the disputed territory’s special status. It is being argued that India has allegedly made this move in Kashmir to disrupt the valley’s demographics, however, many believe that this move will backfire in the long run.
The Indian-administered Kashmir had recently grabbed headlines when Pakistani PM Imran Khan met the US President Donald Trump Washington DC. Trump’s offer to mediate the issue of Kashmir came as shock for India, whereas Pakistan welcomed the remark. Days after Imran Khan’s visit to the United States, unprovoked firing over the Line of Control clearly demonstrated India’s agitation over President Trump’s comments on Kashmir.
India’s hold over Kashmir through the use of force and political manipulation has failed in turning the majority population in New Delhi’s favour. India claims that Kashmir is an integral part of the country, however, the valley remains subject to violations of civil and human rights.
Pakistan’s government, over time, has offered India settlement of disputes, including Kashmir, through dialogues, but the response from New Delhi has remained nothing but cold. Pakistan gains nothing from the alleged involvement in Kashmir.
The most common claim that Pakistan needs ‘Kashmir conflict’ for military buildup no longer holds any practical grounds. For India, it needs Kashmir to blame Pakistan for fuelling anti-Indian sentiments and armed resistance in the valley. For India, Kashmir is a matter of ego and pride. Indian policymakers fail to understand that giving Kashmir a chance of self-determination benefits India more than its current policy of occupation and silencing of Kashmiri leaders.
Any Indian leader that manages to understand this, could win the respect of not only the Kashmiris but also the rest of the world. Under Indian Prime Minister Modi and his party BJP, who take pride in their extremist views, Kashmir cannot be free without a powerful third-party mediation; an idea which India does not tolerate. If India plays with the demographics in the valley to garner strength, the Muslims, which are already subjected to discrimination, will only increase in numbers. Kashmir’s political elites have also been divided and, to some extent, are the reason for India’s influence. Human rights organizations have brought attention to the violence in Kashmir but could not bring in a powerful player to make India end its ruthlessness.
By changing the demographics of Kashmir, India would gain an advantage unlike before but at the cost of its secular state. This would put Pakistan on its toes as the influence could seep into Azad Jammu and Kashmir, fuelling decades-long conflict between Pakistan and India. Kashmir’s right to self-determination is not bound to India or Pakistan, but it only requires facilitation and ultimately -and most importantly- recognition by the world.
The de-escalation, however, in the region for Pakistan would mean the country can focus on making its Afghan front more secure. India, with its fast-growing population and internal issues, is not in a position to absorb Kashmir. The attempts to tamper with the demographic changes in Kashmir with its struggle for freedom would further strengthen the separation movement in the valley and other parts of India like Punjab and in North-East India. Muslims and other minorities in India under BJP have experienced a rise in violence and abuse, which has gone unnoticed by the world.
With Pakistan putting the ball in India’s court, it has conveyed a message that Islamabad believes in Kashmir’s right to self-determination and is no longer interested in keeping it an active flashpoint. But the Indian establishment sees Kashmir as a strategic point of advantage against Pakistan, from where they can attack Pakistan in a conventional manner. Current reports of Pakistan and India exchanging heavy firing over the Line of Control (LoC) is a tried and tested tactic by India. This comes as Pakistan is actively aiding the US-Afghanistan peace process, leaving India empty-handed. The defeat in Afghanistan is embarrassing for India, which it is now trying to counter through engaging Pakistan via Kashmir.
But India needs to let Kashmir go!
The Indian leaders and policymakers need to understand that pawns in the game of power politics can turn into the demise of a nation. India has far more to gain from giving Kashmir its due right rather than forcing it into a marriage of inconvenience. India’s secular reputation has been stained with blood. The carnage that India carries out in the valley should no longer be ignored by the United States and President Trump holds enough power to pressure India into resolving the issue. The British government also need to make amends on its part that left Kashmir as a disputed land.
The world needs to finally acknowledge Kashmir as an
independent state and let it decide its own fate. Sandwiched between Pakistan
and India, Kashmir can thrive on its own. Kashmir should be seen as a
country long awaiting the recognition of its existence on the world’s map, and
all it needs is an Indian leader willing to let it go.
Aisha
Saeed is an independent analyst on media and foreign policy. She tweets
@MsAishaK.
