LAHORE: Â Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has been trying his best to rally support for the Kashmir cause in his meetings and dialogues with the global community. But will it really pay off? Is the United Nations (UN) really capable of getting its resolutions implemented? And can the announcements and statements by the Pakistani leadership really wake the international community up?
The history of the Kashmir issue so far tells us that there was no headway made into this particular issue simply because UN is a puppet in the hands of the global powers. Since Pakistan and India both are party to the resolution of the Kashmir issue, along with the people of Kashmir, the resolutions could not be acted upon because the global powers have interests in India. However, this issue has gained special importance because it impacts the entire South Asia.
After 911, Pakistan had to face immense level of pressure, making it impossible for Pakistan to highlight the Kashmir issue at the international level. But today, Pakistan is not the country that it was at the time of 911. Its regional and global importance has increased and the Indian claims to push Pakistan into isolation have also been repulsed too since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreements, Pakistan’s growing ties with Russia and the dealings with Turkey have clearly improved Pakistan’s standing in the global community. Therefore, Pakistan’s leadership can be seen on every world forum calling for Kashmir issue’s resolution in order to ensure peace in the region.
It may be said that PM’s repeated pleas before the world have given this movement a new impetus. It is pertinent to mention here that every successive government in the United States (US) has to discuss Kashmir issue when discussing South Asia. Although the US has maintained criminal silence over Kashmir issue despite realising the gravity of the situation yet the new US President Donald Trump will have to take a line on this issue under any condition.
It is a fact that Trump clearly showed a tilt towards India during his presidential campaign yet after coming into power, he will have to understand the geostrategic importance of Pakistan and will also have to reconnect with Pakistan instead of running a one-way traffic with India. It is mainly because the issues faced by this region and the new fault-lines being drawn here may create a situation for the US itself in the coming years.
Fears are being expressed that Trump may trump the US as well and this is why a psychological tug of war can be seen for the first time between the American establishment and the president. On the other hand, despite the political instability Pakistan is certainly stronger today than it was a few years back. Today, Pakistan is a much stronger country due to the international investment that has come to Pakistan through CPEC and other projects.
