Pakistan has yet again raised the issue of Kashmir at the UN making it absolutely clear to the world that durable peace and stability in South Asia (SA) was linked to the settlement of lingering dispute, which happens to be the bone of contention in the region.
While addressing the UN General Assembly session in New York Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while highlighting the dangerous dimension of Kashmir conflict has said that the decades’ long unresolved dispute was a great threat to peace and stability in SA. Referring to his country’s urge for peace he said that Pakistan was keen to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue but the Indian government has wasted an opportunity for the third time. Stressing the need for resolving the long-running dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions he said that India must “stop human rights violations in the occupied Kashmir and also stop ceasefire violations across the line of control. “It is India that in plain sight operates state terrorism in Jammu Kashmir,” he stressed adding that it is a matter of great concern that “humanity is being crushed and human rights are being violated all across India”, he said.
The foreign minister also warned India that in case of any misadventure New Delhi will have to face a severe reaction for Islamabad. Qureshi while briefing the world about direct Indian involvement in sponsoring terrorist activities inside Pakistan stated that India has been sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan and Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was involved in planning and sponsoring terrorist activities in Pakistan on behalf of the Indian government.
Islamabad’s willingness to resume dialogue process with New Delhi is a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and earnest desire to break diplomatic stalemate and move forward towards conflict resolution but Indian side is still seen to be stuck in the past, reluctant to talk because of its domestic compulsions. However, the pragmatic stance adopted by Pakistan regarding the important regional issues has exposed Indian duplicity at international level making it clear that India was the biggest hurdle in the way of peace in South Asia. Unfortunately, this no-talk policy and status-quo is approach adopted by the BJP government has a telling effect on the ground situation in Indian held territory of Kashmir. Since the birth of dispute in 1947, Kashmiris continue to be the worst victims of this mindless status quo. Hurriyat chairman Dr. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has rightly said that Kashmiris living a life of bondage in the world’s most militarised zone, yearning to come out of this rhetoric of the status quo they have been trapped in. Since peace in South Asian region is linked to a just settlement of Kashmir dispute it is imperative that the world community should discharge its moral obligations and persuade the government of India to resolve this long running dispute to ensure lasting peace in the region.
