Following my article a couple of weeks ago in which I complimented the Pakistani cricket team for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against their formidable arch-rivals India, I received a couple of comments that left me puzzled.
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Posted by Dorab in PAKISTAN BRIGHT FUTURE, PAKISTAN SHINING, Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on July 12th, 2017
Following my article a couple of weeks ago in which I complimented the Pakistani cricket team for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against their formidable arch-rivals India, I received a couple of comments that left me puzzled.
One was from a Westerner while the other critic was an Asian. The gist of it was essentially dressing me down for complimenting what they both termed as a “failed state”. They both individually felt that there was not much to Pakistan’s credit to mention, and perhaps that was why I praised their team’s victory.
But let’s take a closer look at this country before we rush to judgment. Pakistan has been listed among the next 11 countries that along with the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have a high potential of becoming among the world’s largest economies in the 21st century.
In the last five years, Pakistan’s literacy rate has grown by 250 percent, the largest increase in any country to date. According to a poll organized by the Institute of European Business Administration, from 125 countries, Pakistanis have been ranked the “fourth most intelligent people” across the globe. The Cambridge exams of both A and O levels have been topped by Pakistani students and this is a record yet to be broken. The world’s youngest certified Microsoft Experts, Arfa Kareem and Babar Iqbal, are from Pakistan. The seventh largest pool of scientists and engineers come from, you guessed it, Pakistan. The fourth largest broadband Internet system of the world is in Pakistan.
Pakistan is the first and only Islamic country to attain nuclear power. It is also notable for having some of the best-trained air force pilots in the world. The country’s missile technology is one of the best in the world. The country has produced a large quantity of various types of missiles since it has become a nuclear power. It also boasts of the sixth largest military force in the world.
In cooperation with China, Pakistan has produced the PAC JF-17 Thunder aircraft, a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). The JF-17 can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception. Its designation “JF-17” by Pakistan is short for “Joint Fighter-17”.
It has also constructed the world’s largest warm-water, deep-sea port situated on the Arabian Sea at Gwadar in Balochistan province. Tarbela Dam is the world’s largest earth-filled dam and second largest dam overall. The Karakoram Highway, connecting China and Pakistan, is the highest paved international road in the world. The Khewra Salt Mine, the second largest salt mine in the world is in operation in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The world’s largest irrigation network is present in Pakistan. It serves 14.4 million hectares of cultivated land. The irrigation system is fed by water from the Indus River.
Land of some of the oldest civilizations (Indus Valley and Mohenjo-Daro), Pakistan is a multilingual country with more than 60 languages spoken. It is the sixth most populated country in the world and the second-most populous Muslim-majority country. It also has the second-largest Shia population in the world. The Edhi Foundation, a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951 runs the world’s largest ambulance network. The country also boasts of the world’s youngest civil judge, Muhammad Illyas.
Pakistan is one the biggest exporters of surgical instruments in the world. About 50 percent of the world’s footballs are made in Pakistan. Nestle Pakistan is one of the largest milk processing plants which generate large revenue every year.
Among its natural wonders, Pakistan has the highest mountain ranges in the world. The world’s second highest and the ninth highest mountains, K2 and Nanga Parbat respectively, are in Pakistan. The Thar Desert is among the world’s largest sub-tropical deserts. The world’s highest polo ground is in Shandur Top, Pakistan at a height of 3,700 meters.
In 1994, Pakistan became the first country in the world to hold four World Cup titles tournaments in different mainstream sports simultaneously. The sports included cricket, hockey, squash and snooker.
The Lonely Planet, a global tourist guide, has listed Pakistan as being tourism’s “next big thing for more years than we care to remember. But world media headlines always send things off the rails.”
Perhaps my critics too have been unfairly influenced by media headlines. I urge them to take a second look at this country before they rush to judgment. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
— The author can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
Posted by admin in Kalabagh Dam on July 9th, 2017
Kalabagh Dam will bring economic prosperity all over Pakistan with additional water supply for irrigation through a storage capacity of 6.1 MAF, reduction in prevailing power shortage with annual generation of 12,000 million units from its 3,600 MW powerhouse and flood control with no adverse impacts to any of the provinces. Besides, the general feeling in the country, even in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is that the power crisis and water scarcity have not only pushed the economy to the brink of disaster but also destroyed the peace. The common man also endorses the views of the technical experts on the dam.
Benefits from Kalabagh Dam: Mangla Dam (1967) and Tarbela Dam (1977) were the main catalysts in the industrial and agricultural development of Pakistan. Since then their live storage capacity has reduced by 35% but no mega dam was constructed thereafter resulting in severe water shortage taking the country to the brink of the water-starved level and severe load shedding due to power generation shortfall. Kalabagh Dam Project would play a very important role by way of replacing storage lost by sedimentation in existing reservoirs at Mangla, Tarbela and Chashma, providing effective regulation of Indus river to meet additional Kharif allocations of the provinces under IRSA Water Apportionment Accord-1991, regulation and control of high flood peaks in the Indus, and generating a large chunk of hydro-power.
With Diamer Bhasha Dam construction nowhere in site, Kalabagh Dam is the most appropriate and better alternate option in terms of reduced cost; storage capacity with supply of water share to irrigate 800,000 acres of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) besides other provinces; enhanced generation capacity (with provision for expansion like Tarbela Dam now going to be +6,000 MW from initially designed capacity of 2,100 MW) with revenue of Hydel Profit to both Punjab and KP in proportion to area submerged; less transmission cost/losses due to proximity to load centre also contributing to reduction in NTDC’s power system transmission losses; preferable geology (remoteness from fault line); easy rail/road access (no dislocation of important roads like KKH – Karakoram Highway) and most important no impediment in financing by World Bank and other donors because of its location.
Flood Control: Floods in Jhelum and Indus rivers get controlled to a greater extent by Mangla and Tarbela dams, but same in Kabul, Swat, Chenab and Ravi rivers play havoc in KP, Punjab and Sindh during monsoons every year. The problem of inundation of Nowshehra and areas around during floods in Kabul and Swat rivers is mainly due to narrow Attock Gorge (about 7 km long 800 m wide) near Kherabad which blocks smooth flow of these rivers combined with controlled releases from Tarbela Dam. Devastation done by floods in these rivers during 2010 when Kalabagh Dam was still not there is clear to understand. Kalabagh Dam will help in minimising the peaks of major floods and providing the needed flood relief downstream. Munda Dam on River Swat is the right solution for protecting Nowshera and Swabi from its floods.
Politicisation of Kalabagh Dam: Construction of Kalabagh Dam was to be started in 1988, but the plan was shelved due to politically motivated opposition mainly from NWFP (now KP) and Sindh. Factual position is that neither Nowshehra (and so Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar at still higher elevations) nor SCARP projects of Mardan and Swabi (all above 950 Ft) are going to be submerged in its reservoir (max retention level of 915 Ft for few weeks only). Haripur and Khalabat Township in KP are practical examples, which have never submerged due to the construction of Tarbela Dam so close. Construction of dykes along banks of Kabul River under the project will further protect low-lying areas of Nowshera District from overflowing of the river. Before construction of Tarbela Dam, Sind was receiving about 36 MAF per year, which became 43 MAF thereafter. With additional water supply of 4.75 MAF from Kalabagh Dam to irrigate additional 1 million acres of barren land, Sindh will never become barren but benefit more than any other province. Likewise, KP, Punjab and Balochistan will also benefit from their due shares of 2.01, 2.04 and 1.56 MAF of water supply respectively for irrigation from this project. The apprehensions that Nowshehra will drown and Sindh become a desert by the construction of Kalabagh Dam are thus only figments of imagination. The opposition of Kalabagh Dam is therefore not based on solid facts but politically motivated spreading disinformation and blatant lies on behest of a foreign hand. This propaganda has best been countered in an article “Such ka Qehat” by a world-class expert on dams, Engr. Shamsul Mulk, Ex-Chairman WAPDA and CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, himself hailing from Nowshehra.
Mishandling of the Project: None of the governments so far has handled this matter wisely and earnestly preferring political expedience over national prosperity. Keeping this important project under the carpet due to politically motivated opposition by few elements amounts to being unpatriotic. Delaying construction of Kalabagh Dam any further will result disastrous due to a further reduction in agricultural produce on account of depleting storage capacity of existing reservoirs to feed rapidly exploding Population of Pakistan in near future. Pakistan is already losing about Rs. 180 billion annually, due to the replacement of its cheap hydel energy with costly thermal energy, just because of not constructing Kalabagh Dam. Pakistan’s enemies could have never wished the worst scenario for Pakistan than this. It constitutes the most grievous betrayal of Pakistan and its people by the political governing class and rulers.
Action Required:
1. Prime Minister of Pakistan is requested to immediately develop necessary consensus on Kalabagh Dam (even go for National Referendum, if so required) and start construction of the project without fearing any resistance from the rogue elements working on behest of enemies of Pakistan. In spite of international pressures, if you could decide for Atomic Explosions making the defence of Pakistan invincible, you can surely go for the building of Kalabagh Dam Project for securing prosperous future of Pakistan. God bless you with the addition of this feather in your cap as well.
2. Chief of Army Staff – Pakistan is also requested to provide fullest moral and logistic support to the Government of Pakistan by playing a constructive and exertive role in this regard in line with wishes of Citizens of Pakistan.
This petition will be delivered to:
The first death anniversary of Burhan Wani, Commander of Hizb ul Mujahideen is approaching on July 8, 2017. Since he was an iconic figure of the freedom movement, it is expected that his anniversary would be observed on a large scale in the Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Widespread protests are expected to be held. The Indian occupation forces, as usual, are likely to use brute force including live ammunition and pellet guns against the protestors which may result in casualties.
Last year, after the killing of Burhan Wani, widespread and spontaneous protests erupted throughout the Indian Occupied Kashmir. In order to control the mass movement, the Indian occupation forces unleashed a reign of terror against the civilians. As a result, more than 200 people embraced martyrdom and around 20,000 got injured. Many became permanently blind due to pellet guns shots. Curfew remained imposed for more than four months. Around 12,000 people were arrested or detained.
The bloodshed is still on and God knows how many more Kashmiris will lose their lives at the hands of Indian forces.
Wani, in his early 20s, had become the face of the struggle in Kashmir and over the last five years was using social media like Facebook to reach out to young Kashmiri men to continue their movement for the independence of Kashmir. He became the voice of the Kashmiri youth and his popularity irritated New Delhi.
Undoubtedly, Burhan Wani was a great voice for freedom of the Indian-occupied Kashmir. Hence, the planned killing of Burhan Wani triggered protest throughout the valley.
The terrible and heinous massacre of Muslim populace of the Indian Controlled Kashmir is continuing since seven decades without any break. Unfortunately, the callous insensitivity of international community is encouraging India to cross all limits of gross human rights violations. It is not that international community is unaware of atrocities, being unleashed on people of Indian Held Kashmir—it is rather the vested interest of Western governments to remain mute just to please India.
Instead of accepting the existing reality, New Delhi resorts to implicating Pakistan for Kashmiri uprising. Indian allegations against Pakistan are a ploy to hoodwink the international community on Kashmir issue and a blanket to hide state-sponsored atrocities on innocent people of Kashmir.
The International community must realise the plight of the Indian Occupied Kashmir and their people. Kashmir has been under unlawful Indian occupation since October 1947. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been granted the right of self-determination under the UN Charter, and under several UN Security Council resolutions, more specifically under UN (UNCIP) resolution of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949. These along with subsequent UN resolutions have affirmed that the question of accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the political democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite. Unfortunately, the stalwart supporters of human equality and advocates of preservation of human rights have done little to resolve decades-long Kashmir dispute. It is sad to admit that death of few animals aired by international media can bring tears in the eyes of people, but no heart moves on the genocide of innocent Kashmiris. These double standards are a drag to international efforts on global peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_79wiGcvgw
In this regard, Leonardo Boff has rightly said, “The eternal destiny of human beings will be measured by how much or how little solidarity we have displayed with the hungry, the thirsty, the naked and the oppressed. In the end, we will be judged in terms of love.”
However, a peaceful, negotiated settlement of Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions should rank top on UN’s agenda. In order to find a swift and legal solution of Kashmir issue, the international community must stand with people of the Indian-held Kashmir. New Delhi should also realise that no freedom movement has ever been suppressed with force and Kashmir is no exception.
Balochistan has shown solidarity with Kashmiris on July 14, 2017. Huge rallies in all parts of Balochistan occurred to demonstrate unity with Kashmiris against crimes committed by India in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Youth including universities, colleges and schools mobilised with civil society. Local leaders addressed the rallies to give a clear message of support to the Kashmiris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF2DCDWID0k
Nevertheless, various forms of state terrorism have been part of a deliberate campaign by the Indian army and paramilitary forces against Muslim Kashmiris, especially since 1989. It has been manifested in brutal tactics like crackdowns, curfews, illegal detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture, disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and killing of persons through a fake encounter.
In fact, Indian forces have employed various draconian and controversial laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) etc. in killing the Kashmiri people, and arbitrarily arrest of any individual for an indefinite period.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VfR5BdyRKE
Besides Human Rights Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive tactics of the security forces. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act, security forces personnel have extraordinary powers to shoot suspected persons.”
It is mentionable that under the cover of draconian laws, most of the times, the majority of the popular pro-movement leadership is detained or house-arrested by the Indian security forces, and mostly, without prior orders from the higher authorities. As per a Kashmiri human rights group, Voice of Victim (VOV), a total of 1 471 torture centres are operating in the Indian Controlled Kashmir were arrested Kashmiri leaders and the youth are subjected to severe torture.
Nonetheless, Burhan Wani’s blood has given a new impetus to the Kashmir movement which continues unabated against the occupying forces of India.
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
Posted by Sanwal-Mani in CURRENT EVENTS on July 8th, 2017
Kashmir was always described as the heaven on earth. Its natural beauty and scenic views are matchless. Melodies of flowing water of springs, the enchanting Dal Lake, thick green grass and foliage on high mountains and white snow on the peaks served as ornaments of the valley. The fragrance of the pine leaves mystified the environment. People from all over the world aspired to visit and revisit the enthralling valley. This paradise on earth has been turned into hell by India. The Kashmiris are languishing under the boots of Indian security forces in the biggest open prison and most militarised region in the world.
The UN which came into being after the 2nd WW to maintain international peace has fallen much short of expectations. Many wars have taken place and among the unresolved disputes, the oldest are the Palestinian and Kashmir disputes which are lingering since 1948. Both disputes are the legacies left behind by the British.
The Kashmir dispute is the chief bone of contention between India and Pakistan. While Pakistan considers it as its jugular vein, India which initially pledged to grant the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris, changed its stance and started parroting that it is Atoot Ang (integral part) of India. The two archrivals have fought three wars and several local conflicts over Kashmir which has now become a nuclear flashpoint. One of the reasons for rising levels of extremism is the non-resolution of the dispute and India’s atrocities.
It seems that the UN and the whole international community are indifferent towards this dispute. Pakistan’s stance over the dispute is in accordance with the charter of UN in which full support of the oppressed Kashmiris has been pledged and protection of human rights ensured irrespective of territory, religion or country.
Kashmir was invaded by the Indian military in October 1947, just two months after the Partition of the Indian subcontinent by the British, and two-thirds Kashmir was occupied and retained forcibly. After patiently waiting and expectantly looking towards the UN and India for 42 long years to grant them their due right of self-determination, and also getting disillusioned with Pakistan, the Kashmiris inspired by the Islamic revolution in 1979 and Afghan Jihad in the 1980s decided to pick up arms and force India to grant them their legitimate right.
Armed Kashmiri uprising erupted like a volcano in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in 1989. It rose in strength in the 1990s and peaked in the early 2000s. Thereon, in the aftermath of 9/11, the intensity of the movement began to abate. The reason was that India helped by the USA portrayed resistance movement in IOK as terrorism and new laws on terrorism put Pakistan on the defensive. Pakistan under Gen Musharraf was made an ally but made to fight the biggest inland war in the world.
India under Vajpayee gave hope for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue. Gen Musharraf happily signed the peace treaty in January 2004 hoping that resumption of composite dialogue would lead to settlement of core disputes including Kashmir. Duped by India and overwhelmed by the media hype, he took steps to stop movement across the Line of Control (LoC) and to allow India for fencing the entire length of LoC. Part of APHC leaders led by Mir Waiz in IOK were taken on board. Syed Ali Shah Geelani and some others, however, refused to be part of the new scheme of ‘out of box solution’, in which the UN resolutions were made irrelevant. He knew the mind of India better than others.
Peace along the LoC in Kashmir was a ruse to surreptitiously start a covert war both from Afghanistan and Iran to initially destabilise FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Baluchistan. Thereon, spread the flames of terrorism all over Pakistan and make it lawless and a failed State. The Grand design was to disable the nuclear program. India could not have undertaken covert war freely with restive Kashmir, which had become a bleeding wound for India.
While India kept Pak leaders engaged in futile confidence building measures, and at the same time vigorously chased the marooned freedom fighters in IOK, it didn’t move an inch towards the resolution of core issues. By 2007 India proudly claimed that Pakistan backed insurgency in Kashmir had been successfully quashed and the state was ready for elections. Whatever little progress made in dialogue was reversed after blaming Pakistan for the engineered Mumbai attacks in November 2008. Since then, India has adopted a hostile posture and prioritised terrorism above the Kashmir dispute. In violation of Indus Basin Treaty, it is feverishly building dozens of dams over the three Pakistan specific rivers to dry up Pakistan. Things have gone from bad to worse since the takeover of power by Narendra Modi in June 2014.
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Large scale disturbances in IOK in the aftermath of the martyrdom of popular Burhan Wani in July 2016 together with fast paced development of CPEC and Pakistan’s economic revival have panicked India. Besides stepping up human rights abuses in IOK and terrorism in Pakistan through its proxies, Narendra Modi, Ajit Doval and Rajnath Singh openly threatened to detach Baluchistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir from Pakistan. India resorted to series of false flag operations in IOK to give an impression that Pakistan is supporting the insurgency in Kashmir. To give strength to Indian allegation, Afghanistan was tutored in singing the same song of cross border terrorism.
Indo-US-Afghan strategic nexus built a narrative to brand Pakistan as an abettor of terrorism and the trio as victims.
To hide its discomfiture over failing to overawe Pakistan, Indian military is giving vent to its impotent rage by resorting to unprovoked firing across the LoC and Working Boundary in Kashmir in violation of the 2003 cease-fire agreement. Most casualties are civilians. India faked a surgical strike against imaginary training camps in AJK. Likewise, Afghanistan encouraged by India and USA has been carrying out skirmishes along the Durand Line.
Afghanistan has also allowed its soil for use of covert war by CIA-RAW-NDS-Mossad-MI-6 nexus against Pakistan.
Of late, Iran which has a defence deal with India and is very close to Northern Alliance heavy regime in Kabul has brought frostiness in its relations with Pakistan. The trio signed Chahbahar seaport agreement in 2016 to undermine Gwadar. RAW under Kulbushan Yadav had been making use of Iranian soil to destabilise Baluchistan and Karachi.
Egged on by the whole hearted diplomatic, political and military support of the US, and the three military agreements signed between the two militaries in 2016, India is now openly threatening to wage a limited war and to break Pakistan into four pieces. It is trying hard to diplomatically isolate Pakistan and get it declared a terror abetting State.
Afghanistan under Ashraf Ghani is speaking India’s language and so is Donald Trump who has recently declared Hizbul Mujahideen leader Salahuddin an international terrorist. Trump has disregarded record breaking human rights abuses in IOK and has displayed complete insensitivity to the suffering of Kashmiris. US Congress (John McCain, Ted Poe and Dana Rohrabacher in particular), supports separatist movement in Baluchistan.
In Washington, there are loud calls for taking away the status of a non-NATO ally from Pakistan and to stop military and economic assistance to Pakistan alleging that it is still not doing enough. The visiting US team led by McCain intending to dilute the impact of Trump’s slap hypocritically patted Pak military for its commendable role in the war on terror but reverted to its traditional hostile ‘do more’ stance when it landed in Kabul. The visitors have given the woolly idea of Pak-Afghan joint operations to eliminate terrorism, forgetting that the US is among the spoilers which don’t want stabilisation of Af-Pak region.
The five anti-Pakistan intelligence agencies huddled in Kabul that had initiated hybrid war against Pakistan in 2003/04 have launched the final phase of fifth generation war to create political chaos and trigger civil war combined with a sectarian war on the pattern of Iraq and Syria. This has been necessitated to disrupt freedom movement in Kashmir, block development works and CPEC.
The hybrid war is not being fought by the paid proxies alone but is augmented by electronic, print and social media, NGOs, pseudo intellectuals and disgruntled politicians to build choice perceptions among the public and civil society, foment rift in civil-military relations, polarise the society and create instability and insecurity.
Many are suspecting that Panama and Dawn leaks scandals were engineered to topple the sitting government. The Recent publication of a book by a killer Raymond Davis is also seen as a link of the same chain to discredit Pakistan. The sitting government, Army and ISI are the major targets.
Kashmiris are struggling for the last 70 years to seek independence from India. They are being ruthlessly persecuted and dehumanised by Indian occupying forces since 1989. For the last 28 years, the hapless Kashmiris have been wailing and beseeching the world to take notice of the wanton cruelties of Indian security forces inflicted upon them. It is most unfortunate that no one is listening to their shrieks and woes and the ill-fated people have not been given any relief. Not a day passes when a Kashmiri is killed or maltreated.
State terrorism led by Narendra Modi is confiscating the rights of children, women and unarmed civilians. And from July 2016 onward, even the eyes, nose and ears of Kashmiri people are not safe from Indian state terrorism. Protesting young boys and girls including children are fired upon with pellet and chilli guns to blind them. Hundreds have been fully/partially blinded. As a state policy, the youth is being systematically eliminated. For this purpose, RSS and RAW are doing the dirty work.
In order to change the demography of IOK, new colonies have been constructed where Hindu Pundits and retired servicemen are being settled in big numbers. Refugees from Azad Kashmir are awarded lands and houses in IOK. This sort of evil practice was undertaken in Jammu in 1947 to change the Muslim majority into a minority.
India is not only violating human rights in Kashmir but also trying to legalise severe violations. POTA, PSA and other draconian laws like AFSPA imposed in IOK by India reveal that any house in IOK can be raided without any permission. 750, 000 Indian Army soldiers, paramilitary forces and police deployed in IOK since 1989 have been given license to kill without fear of accountability. They are immune from every law of the State. Extra judicial killings, fake encounters, arbitrary and unlawful detentions without trials, torture and deaths of detainees, sexual harassment, rapes and night raids are a norm. There are tens of hundreds of unknown and unmarked mass graves. Thousands of bullet ridden bodies are buried in mass graves. 940 unidentified graves were discovered in Uri alone. There is no room for such violations in any civilised society of the world but it is legal in Kashmir.
In order to hide its evil designs and brutalities, India has laid out a smokescreen of falsehood and is indulging in a false propaganda by declaring freedom movement of Kashmiri people as terrorism duly abetted by Pakistan. The US and western world gladly buy the Indian story ignoring the fact that in the light of several resolutions of UN, Kashmiri struggle is a freedom movement and not terrorism. India has put a ban on media persons, Human Rights Groups, UN, UNMOGIP or any fact finding team to visit the Valley and listen to the afflictions of Kashmiris. A ban is imposed on internet and cable service.
It is quite strange as to why the champions of democracy are unable to notice high scale State terrorism being committed by India in IOK where over 100,000 people have been killed, 120,000 shops/houses destroyed, over 115000 children orphaned, 13000 women and young girls raped/gang raped and 25000 women widowed between the period of 1989 and June 2017. Well over 10,000 are rotting in secret torture dens for the last many years and their families have no knowledge of the whereabouts and whether they are living or dead. Their fate remains unknown and their wives are leading a miserable life as half widows.
India has used excessive force, denied basic human rights, and employed various tricks to break the freedom movement and the will of Kashmiris to fight. After fencing the LoC, a wall is being built to prevent even a sparrow from passing through. The Kashmiri people totally devoid of external support, however, are indigenously protesting and braving the brutalities and struggling for their right of self-determination and are reminding the UNO to play its role and resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions. Pakistan unfortunately never had a long-term viable Kashmir policy to win its case and its actions at best have been reactive.
Since an entire lot of senior Hurriyat leaders have been placed under house arrest, the movement has been taken over by the youth of the fifth generation. Born, bred and brought up under traumatic environment, and having witnessed the horrifying deaths of their near and dear ones and rapes of their mothers and sisters, the rattle tattle of gunfire, explosions and the bloodshed do not scare them. They neither fear the gun totting Indian soldiers nor death.
The school children, both boys and girls are defiantly throwing stones at the bayonet wielding soldiers mounted in vehicles, and at times snatching their weapons. They hate the Indians from the core of their hearts and want Azadi (Freedom) at all cost. Conversely, they love Pakistan from the bottom of their hearts. They exhibit their hate for India and love for Pakistan openly by chanting anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans and waving Pak flags. Those who are martyred are draped in Pakistan flag. Their most popular slogan is “Kashmir will become part of Pakistan”. The Recent victory of Pak cricket team against India in the finals was celebrated by the Kashmiris with extreme fervour. Pakistan Independence Day is celebrated with fanfare and that of India as a Black Day.
India has lost the support of the Kashmiri public, and Kashmir is slipping out of the hands of India. This changed reality has begun to dawn upon many in India who till recent always voiced the government stance that Kashmir is an integral part of India and its detachment is out of the question. However, after witnessing the undying passion for sacrificing and dying, they are now opining that the battle of conception for another Pakistan in the womb of India will deliver sooner than later.
Kashmir is an international issue and if the world wants peace in the region, then Kashmir issue will have to be resolved. Sooner India understands this reality and gives up its stubborn stance, better it will be for India and the region as a whole. The UN and the world powers must take note of the humanitarian crisis and intervene to stop the bloodshed and human rights abuses in IOK, pressurize India to accept Kashmir as a disputed territory, treat the movement as a freedom movement, demilitarize Kashmir, free the political prisoners, dismantle torture cells, abolish black laws, and cooperate in holding free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices. Since the US is partisan, Russia and China can play a key role by agreeing to become mediators.
The writer is a retired Brig, a war veteran, a defence analyst, columnist, author of five books including two on Kashmir, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre. asifharoonraja@gmail.com
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