Malik Muhammad Ashraf
As soon as the attack on the Indian army base in Uri happened, the Indian government and media immediately pointed an accusing finger towards Pakistan maintaining that the attackers had infiltrated from Pakistan. The incident is being used to rub in the notion that the current uprising in Kashmir was Pakistani sponsored terrorism, and therefore Pakistan needed to be isolated immediately. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the perpetrators of this attack would not go unpunished. In the meantime, it has been reported that the Indian army has claimed that foiling another attempt by 10-12 terrorists to infiltrate the Uri sector, they killed the intruders.
As regarding the Indian claims of attackers having infiltrated from Pakistan, security experts and analysts believe that no person in his right mind could buy this proposition. India has erected a barrier on the Line of Control (LoC) that consists of double-row fencing and concertina wire, which is 8-12 feet in height, is electrified and connected to a network of motion sensors, thermal imaging, lighting systems and alarms. They believe it is simply impossible for anybody to cross the LoC to carry out such an attack. As pointed out by the ISPR, there are watertight arrangements in place on both sides of the LoC and the Working Boundary, which make it impossible for anybody to infiltrate from either side. Pakistan is strictly abiding by its policy to not allow any infiltration from its soil.
Unpalatable as it may be to India or any peace-seeking Pakistani, there is also another view among political analysts that the Uri incident like the Pathankot attack seems to be a ‘false flag Indian operation’. That in the backdrop of a killing spree by the Indian security forces in the Indian-held Kashmir that has killed 87 persons and wounded thousands, India was feeling the heat of growing condemnation from the international community. It is contended that the move was a calculated attempt to deflect the attention of the world community from the Indian brutalities, to stoke the incident into an act of terrorism and throw the blame on Pakistan with a view to counter Pakistani diplomatic offensive to sensitise the international fraternity on human rights violations in Kashmir and the need to resolve the issue in conformity with UN resolutions.
The occurrence of the attack when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was about to address the UN General Assembly and was expected to highlight the Indian atrocities in Kashmir and jolt the conscience of the world community in regard to its obligations towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir also lends currency to the view that India seems desperate to divert the world attention from the real issues, paint Pakistan in the worst possible colours and as a sponsor of terrorism. It is pertinent to point out that after the Uri attack contact was established between the DGMOs of the two countries. The Pakistani DGMO refuting Indian claims demanded sharing of actionable intelligence on the incident, which has not been provided so far.
Prime Minister Sharif, before his UN address, has met a number of his counterparts as well as the US Secretary of State, and briefed them on the situation in Kashmir emphasising the need for the international community to stop India from perpetrating atrocities on the people of Kashmir who are fighting for their legitimate right of self-determination. While these efforts have created a positive impact, and concern has been expressed on the situation in the Indian-held Kashmir by a number of world leaders, the US regrettably continues to show its tilt towards India. A statement issued by the spokesman of the State department on Nawaz-Kerry meeting says: “The Secretary reiterated the need for Pakistan to prevent all terrorists from using Pakistani territory as safe havens. The Prime Minister and Secretary Kerry expressed strong concern with recent violence in Kashmir — particularly the army base attack and the need for all sides to reduce tensions.”
It clearly indicates that the US endorses the Indian stance in regard to infiltrations from Pakistan. Some western allies of the US also toe the same line in spite the fact that Pakistan has provided to the US and the UN evidence of Indian involvement in acts of terrorism in Pakistan, particularly the support being extended to the Baloch insurgents. The US stance reeks of sheer hypocrisy dictated by political expediencies, strategic and commercial interests.
However, the cold-shoulder response from the US and its allies should not deter Pakistan from pleading the case of the people of Kashmir as vociferously as possible. The current line of action devised by Pakistan to raise the issue on all available world forums and in bilateral interactions with other countries is the right course to follow. There should be no let-up in that process. Perseverance is the key to success. It is a right cause that derives legitimacy from the internationally recognised fundamental human rights as well as the commitment of the UN and the world community to have the Kashmir issue resolved through a plebiscite. The powers that are trying to adopt an evasive stance on the issue and showing an unreasonable tilt towards India must realise that by doing so they are actually creating an ambience of confrontation in the region that may ultimately not only prove inimical to the peace and security in the region but also undermine their strategic interests. World history is a witness to the fact that freedom movements cannot be suppressed either by use of force or by adopting evasive responses.
There is no denying the fact that both Pakistan and India need to find a way to resolve the disputes between them, including Kashmir, which is the root cause of continued tensions and an ambience of confrontation that poses a grave threat to peace and tranquility in the region. The continuation of hostilities between the two nuclear neighbours and the diversion of their precious and scant resources towards their arms build-up will hamper their efforts to change economic situation of the teeming millions on both sides of the border. Economic progress is inconceivable without peace. But as they say, it needs two to tango. Pakistan, under the present government, has made positive and sincere overtures towards India to restart the suspended dialogue between the two countries but, unfortunately, those efforts have been effectively scuttled by the unreasonable Indian attitude, its reluctance to recognise the ground realities and failure to give serious thought to the resolution of the Kashmir dispute that has bedeviled relations between them.
