The changing face of Pakistan diplomacy

The changing face of Pakistan diplomacy

BY: Sumera B. Reshi

August 18 news surprised many a Kashmiri. The news carried out by the Kashmir Times as well as the Hindustan Times, read like ‘Separatists stay away, Soz Attends’. According to the news report the only mainstream leader who attended the Iftar party hosted by the High Commission of Pakistan Shahid Malik was Saffu-din- Soz and the other political dignitaries like Wajahat Habibullah et al. The moment I read this news I pondered over the headline, which carried lot more weight than anything else. I questioned myself have separatists really stayed away of the Iftar Party and if the news is to be believed what was the reason? Many questions popped up in my mind, like why did they (separatists) stayed away this time and what should have been the possible alibi for their indifference, or absence? There should have been a logical rationale behind the move, I answered. However, what came into my mind was that Pakistan might have changed its stance once again to show how concerned it is, to give peace another change. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ms Khar delighted separatists the moment she landed on Indian soil by conversing with the separatist camp, but its High Commissioner, instead Mr Malik exhibited his diplomatic skills by pleasing mainstream politicians from India and Kashmir. This attempt could be a novice diplomatic initiative taken from Athshastra, but such an attempt can have a colossal bearing on the polity of Kashmir in coming days.

Recall the occasion when Ms Khar visited India in July 2011, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani welcomed what they termed as ‘positive outcome ‘ of the Pakistan-India foreign ministers’ talks and simultaneously promised to continue the dialogue process to resolve all issues between the two countries, especially their long standing issue over Kashmir.
After Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna met in New Delhi to start dialogue afresh, they agreed on various confidence-building measures and to move ahead with a set of dialogue processes in future in order to create good neighbourly ties. It is likely that the attempt to set aside separatists in much hyped Iftar Party was to show India that they (Pakistan) can move ahead and set their own precedent even if Kashmir bleeds to death and this time if they lose their third generation for the sake of Aazadi.

It is a well said that everything is fair in love and war. The world order is such that to get your love, you can ditch love. How scheming is Pakistan to defend its own interests? This time Indian seems more than happy after July 27 talks between Krishna and Khar. Foreign Minister of India Mr S.M. Krishna told media as:

"This was the roadmap that we had worked out and I am very happy that she came to India and that certainly will improve bilateral relations between our two countries.”

Can anyone either from India or Pakistan tell people of Kashmir what is the roadmap on which these two South Asian giants are working on? Will Trans LOC trade, flexible visa policy et al ease tension in Kashmir? By these cosmetic measures will Kashmiris save their third generation from bloodbath? Well the answer is no, it can’t do so until Kashmiris are asked to put forth their views on a long standing conflict which has crippled Kashmir morally, economically and ethically. Does anyone on either side care to ask Kashmiris what they want? Apart from human lost, Kashmiris have lost a very precious thing which is their identity, so they are in identity crisis. Who are they, Indians, Pakistanis or Kashmiris? If they are Kashmiris then sorry to say that they have been discriminated all over. They have been looked down as terrorists, militants, miscreants, stone pelters, mis guided youth and what not.

In hope not to infuriate separatists Ms Khar held her first meeting with Syed Ali Shah Geelani (who is the prominent pro-Pakistan leader in Kashmir) and other moderate separatist leaders in July this year. Moreover, she reassured them of Pakistani’s diplomatic and moral support to the people of Kashmir over the right to self determination. But their words don’t appear to match their actions. In the joint statement released after Krishna-Khar meet, cross-border trade and travel were the only items on which any substantive progress was made. Kashmir issue was put in a cold storage until then India and Pakistan decided to resolve their bilateral issues of grave importance. This kind of diplomacy has always kept India ahead of Pakistan. However, if Kashmiris be given the choice to right to self determination, then India is likely to lose in this game. What India does to keep its position intact is that it maintains status quo, for example it accept LOC as a de facto border and only allows cross-border trade and passenger traffic to maintain the economy of the Kashmir.

In consideration of Foreign Ministers meet in New Delhi, one of the senior Pakistani diplomat in India view Ms Khar’s visit to India as the most successful visit so far. Also according to a front page article in the Urdu daily Jang, this is the first time that India has shown its keen interest and has expressed agreement on various issues which
India had been avoiding over the years.

Krishna-Khar meeting has been termed as a major achievement but isn’t it a known fact that India always wants to focus its diplomatic energy on ‘confidence-building measures’ like opening a bus service between the two countries and extending trade relations with Pakistan. India is using some lessons from Chanakya as India knows; the more India encourages economic activity in Kashmir, the stronger its hold gets on Kashmir. In view of the changing global order, especially a paradigm shift in South Asia since the U.S. launched its operations to chase Bin Laden and his aides and a rising instability in Pakistan left Kashmiris in a dilemma. Ordinary Kashmiris are in quandary and it is very difficult for them to make a choice between booming India and a frail Pakistan.

In spite of all these CBM’s, thousands of youth took to streets in June 2010 to demonstrate against the brutalities incurred upon them by security personnel. The year 2010 was another year bathed in blood and gloom. This time youth took control of everything even not listening to Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s call for tranquility. They didn’t listen to anyone and reasons being that they are fed up of this ongoing conflict and discrimination. Kashmir has lost the count of the people in search of freedom, it has lost count of women who were raped and then murdered, it has also lost number of disappeared men who went out to perform routine work and never came back. Since ages Kashmir hasn’t seen the dawn of freedom, calm or peace. Since ages it has been kept captive by many colonial powers and past three decade of armed conflict has left Kashmiris bruised and walking wounded.
None so far has come to the rescue of Kashmir. It is apparent that the present Kashmir conflict is actually the British legacy, which left it unsettled since the fragmentation of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. Arab countries also stayed away of the Kashmir issue and to a larger extent gulf countries remained tight lipped over the gross human rights violations in Kashmir. And now a new dimension to the Kashmir issue is Pakistan’s U-turn on Kashmir issue. Things appear to have changed a lot after the death of Osama bin Laden. Ever since the death of Bin Laden, Pakistan has also changed its colours. For the first time in past 20 years Pakistani High Commission invited mainstream politicians to Iftar Party and Soz was one of them. No doubt he wasn’t invited as a politician from Kashmir but as one of the leader from Parliamentary team. Also on March 23rd, Pakistani High Commission invited Iftikhar Hussain Ansari from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Engineer Ab Rasheed, an independent candidate and MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) to Pakistan Day celebrations. This move created doubts in everyone’s mind in Kashmir, ordinary as well as separatists alike. What was the raison d’etra behind this attempt is a moot question and beyond anyone’s comprehension.

Owing to the changing policies vis-a-vis South Asia, would it be appropriate to say that now Pakistan wants to act as a virtuous neighbour for its own larger good by sidelining Kashmiri separatist leadership and its people? Yes, the premise seems to support the conclusion as lot more has changed owing to changing world scenario and so is Pakistan’s stance. The recent developments are a clear gesture that indicates a complete U-Turn in Pakistan’s policy towards Kashmir. Separatists didn’t stay away from Iftar Party but were sidelined by the Pakistani Kautaliya’s, who have modified the rules of the game. This time they have replaced chess players and chosen those who are closer to India rather than Kashmiris. Pakistan should be applauded for this piece of diplomatic overtures and game tactics. Nevertheless, let Kashmiri leadership ponder over this paradigm shift and stop singing to the Pakistani tune as they have been doing so in the recent past.