Speaker: Prof. Riaz Punjabi
Pakistan
in its game plan against
India
. This realization has translated into the withdrawal of local support to the foreign militants. Notwithstanding these changes, militancy has become dangerous, as it has become more organized and gone further underground. That many arms dumps remain unearthed is a cause for concern.
Kashmir
, originated with the mushrooming of mosques. Beginning with insistence on strict attendance and harassment of absentees, these mosques functioned as networking centres of militancy. Simultaneously, Hindu shrines were targeted with pro-Pakistani elements intimidating Hindus from worshiping in these premises. This trend has changed in the last four years and religious worship has resumed sans coercion or inhibition.
Kashmir
& the Security Council
Kashmir
, there is a remarkable similarity between the international reaction and Security Council debates of the 1948-51 and post 1990 period. The solutions offered are similar to those floated decades back, and lack an unimaginative approach to the problem.
Pakistan
Kashmir
problem needs to address sections/levels that are vulnerable and succumbed to the Pakistani onslaught.
Pakistan
has been successful in creating a crisis of ideology and identity in
Kashmir
. This ‘confusion’ needs to be seriously addressed for winning their support and confidence.
Pakistan
has succeeded in transferring suspicion, hostility and anger from one generation to another. Efforts to relieve the Kashmiris of the constant fear of being ‘watched’ is fundamental to reconstruction of the society.
Kashmir
has failed to deliver the desired results that
Pakistan
was expecting. Following elaborate plans that were conceived in the Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies in 1988, to include
Jammu and Kashmir
in the UN agenda on Human Rights,
Pakistan
systematically focused on the human rights situation in
Kashmir
in all international forums. Ironically, it made use of studies conducted by Indian activists and scholars, who unwittingly played into their hands. Between the period 1990-94,
Pakistan
was successful in its propaganda and, in 1995, attempts were made to introduce a resolution in the UN censuring
India
on human rights violation in
Kashmir
. However, after 1995, international interest in the issue waned after realization of the ground reality. Human rights groups also adopted a more cautious approach on the subject.
Pakistan
has lost control over the various Jihadi groups operating on its soil. Initially, Musharraf attempted to portray a moderate outlook and rein in these groups. However, all his attempts have failed due to intense pressure within the military to support the jihad groups. With increasing propaganda that heaven was assured for martyrs, more people are now ready to send their children for jihad; that this section of the people is increasing does not augur well for
India
or for
Pakistan
. The fact that
Pakistan
is in no position to control these groups need to be borne in mind when charting out a strategy to address this problem.
India
have given
Pakistan
leverage to commit the atrocities mentioned above. Which, if they were avoided could have gained popular support for to
India
.
Kashmir
was left uncultivated, but worse, squeezed out without having the opportunity to establish itself politically. Liberal leaders, expelled from the National Conference, were forced to reconcile with Sheikh Abdullah, and all attempts to organize an opposition were stifled. This eroded a good check-and-balance system but also the emergence of a political alternative.
India
in failing to cultivate the full potential of these surrendered militants.
Kashmir
Kashmir
will not accede to
Pakistan
, nor will it seek independence. These options were foreclosed when Sheikh Abdullah, with a pro-accession mandate, was elected to power; he claimed that the elections were public articulation of what would otherwise be a referendum. This fact needs to be borne in mind while addressing the issue in all its facets. Also, all moves towards trifurcating the state need to be strongly resisted: not only does it disregard the sentiments of the Kashmiris who refuse to be confined to the Valley, but also goes against the secular fabric of the country.
Pakistan
’s inability to control the various jihadi groups operating in
Kashmir
and call for future strategies to take cognizance of this fact. Discussions on other aspects are listed below.
India
.
Punjab
. However, the difference lies in the response of the residents. While Punjab Sikhs fought the insurgents, Kashmiri Muslims are resigned to their fate. The general perception is that the Muslims of India require the existence of
Pakistan
for their identity. This was true earlier, but has ceased to be a factor in the last two decades.
Pakistan
have no links with those in
India
; this gap needs to be bridged. The treatment of the Urdu press by the Government of India has been on the basis of patronage rather than attempting to acknowledge and understand the real issues and problems faced by the Muslim community.
Kashmir
& the international community
Kashmir
may appear hackneyed and the international response stale; however, a significant change is that not many countries are insisting on converting the Line of Control into an international boundary. This was not the case in the earlier period when many countries suggested this modality.
Pakistan
is convinced with the legality in
Kashmir
’s accession with
India
. If there was any doubt, it could have raised the issue in the International Court of Justice. Precisely for this reason, attempts are being made to devalue the legal instrument of accession and the Simla Agreement.
India
should insist on these documents being recognised because they are legal and internationally recognized instruments. Additionally,
India
should talk about areas like Gilgit, currently in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, that are legally part of
India
.
Pakistan
because, after their return, they will have to meet the expectations of the people.
Kashmir
problem would be to involve the Gulf Muslim countries. They would be the next target for the Talibanised Islamisation phenomenon currently growing in
Pakistan
. This calls for a new and imaginative approach.
At the outset, the speaker wished to inform the group that his perceptions were based on interaction with the public and journalists in addition to the local media. His significant observations were:
Militancy
There has been a significant change in the nature of militancy, which is reflected in the difference in the composition of the militant groups;: indigenous Kashmiri militant groups, no longer active, are being replaced by Pakistan-based and regulated foreign militants. Kashmiri youth are distancing themselves from such groups. The same trend can be observed in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) too. Simultaneously, there is a realization by the Kashmiris that have been used by
Islamisation
Attempts at Islamisation have diluted. Whilst Islamisation of Pakistan commenced with significant proliferation of madrasaas, attempts at Islamisation in
On the issue of
Role of
The immediate response to the
Social: At the social level, the Kashmiri community, which was closely interwoven, was targeted. Those not supporting the militants were accused of being traitors and un-Islamic; they were forced to quit or remain quiet. It became taboo to interact with anyone within the national framework. Fear of societal rejection and suppression of dissent resulted in ambivalence of the Kashmiri mindset, depriving them of clarity of perception.
Psychological: An additional factor augmenting suppression was the constant fear of the ISI (Inter Services Intelligence of Pakistan). With informers and dissenters being cruelly dealt with, specifically denying burial to the dead, the ‘ghost of ISI’ has entered deep into the Kashmiri psyche. Further,
Economic: Notwithstanding the various economic measures that can yield specific results, a crucial sector that needs to be focused upon remains the class of entrepreneurs who find the business of militancy to be lucrative. This class lacks the skills for alternate means of employment and needs to be tackled.
Human Rights: The issue of Human Rights in
Jihad:
Indian blunders
Grievous lapses by
· Mishandling of the Centre’s relationship with Sheikh Abdullah has been the most prominent of these mistakes. Post partition there were feelings of pro-independence and pro-India/accession; pro-Pakistan sentiments were significantly absent. Sheikh Abdullah headed the majority pro-accession group and worked against the strong wave of communalism. The Indian government should have cultivated his position to promote pro-India sentiments. However, this not being done, with prevailing social and political conditions deteriorating, Sheikh Abdullah was forced to think of the third option of accession to Pakistan and issue statements tantamount to rethinking the policy of accession.
· The pro-India constituency in
· Methods of rehabilitation of militants and their leaders have also been a blunder. Rehabilitating them in a manner beyond and above their status has robbed them and their commanders of social and political credibility. This has been a strategic and political lapse on the part of
· On the issue of autonomy, the Indian Government should have been sensitive to the feelings of the people and not outrightly have rejected the resolution. It could have been delayed, discussed and debated before final rejection. The debate could have encapsulated devolution for the entire country, and not just a particular state.
Future of
Discussion
There was unanimity in acknowledging
Indian Muslims
· There has been non-participation of Indian Muslims in the entire issue. This could be attributed to the lack of leadership or similar factors. But it is regrettable that Indian Muslims have remained silent and failed to rebut the Pakistani propaganda against
· The Muslim silence is their response to the rise of Hindutva. There exists fear, disillusionment and disaffection within the middle class Muslim youth. This was heightened by the riots following the demolition of the Babri Masjid and resulted in the bomb blasts in Mumbai. The rise of this disaffected middle class Muslim youth is a cause for concern and needs to be specifically addressed.
· If the Muslims remain silent so did the Sikhs during the militancy in
· The Ulema and the Mullahs in
The Security Council debates on
Ceasefire and dialogue
The ceasefire has brought about little change in the ground situation. Further, people seem to have little confidence in the Hurriyat. Who do they represent? And, can they be permitted to set the Indo-Pak dialogue agenda?
People are aware of the credentials of the Hurriyat team. Pragmatism suggests sending them to
The way forward in solving the
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