Whither Resolution to Kashmir Issue?

The Kashmir issue has been hanging fire for the past six decades. It is the misfortune of Kashmir, recognized as a paradise on the earth, that it could not have peace ever since India's partition. Kashmir at present is divided into two parts. One part is with India while the other is under Pakistan's occupation. It is owing to this division that the two countries are striving to capture each other's territory.

Confrontation Between India and Pakistan
Kashmiris are stranded between the confrontations of the two countries. Both nations are employing military means and ways in order to retain their occupation. It is because of the military interference that a violent movement is created in the region. The Indian armed forces have been deployed throughout Jammu and Kashmir.

There is massive protest by the people in Kashmir against military deployment in the region. Kashmiris do not desire any kind of interference in the region. Identical conditions prevail in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). There the Pakistani Government is not paying attention to the economic development there. Military activities are at their peak in this territory. The common people find themselves entrapped in the quagmire of poverty. That is why Kashmiris on both sides are irked by the two countries.

Allegation of Spreading Terrorism
It is distressing to note that the governments of the two countries are prolonging the Kashmir issue. India and Pakistan are leveling the allegation of spreading terrorism in this region against each other. Former Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor maintains that no decline has taken place in the support being extended by the Pakistani Government to armed formations active within Pakistan and despite the international pressure in the wake of the Mumbai attacks senior jihadi (crusader) leaders, including Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, are roaming free in its territory. Identical statements are forthcoming from the Pakistani Government and military.

The Pakistani Government maintains that is not interfering in Jammu and Kashmir. According to it the Jihad [crusade] in Jammu and Kashmir has been unleashed due to the highhandedness and excesses of the Indian Government and Kashmiris desire freedom from India and its government.

Sight for Resolution
The violent confrontation has intensified over the past two-and-half decades. Endeavors have been made at the international level several times to resolve the issue but to no avail. Nothing has come out of such attempts. One of the reasons is that both nations do not desire to solve the impasse. No interest is being evinced in the global-level politics. In such circumstances, no solution is in sight for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. It is the duty of the two countries to join heads with a view to explore an early solution to the issue hanging fire since the partition.

The international community should mete out justice to Kashmiris by coming forward without any further loss of time and help make the region a territory free of all disputes. India and Pakistan have already suffered a lot because of the Kashmir issue. They can ill afford to further linger on this problem. It would be better to solve it through bilateral talks peacefully.

Pakistan's Negative Attitude in Fresh Talks With India

The beginning of secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan is a positive development, but not getting any concrete result out of it, as usual, is a negative aspect. The Pakistani delegation must have known well about India's complaints, but even then it did not come to India for talks with any positive message from its side. Our delegation headed by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao deserves to be commended that it sat down for talks with full preparations. Not just one but three dossiers were handed over to Pakistan.

Terror Issue
The first dossier was about the Mumbai terror attack, while the second one was about the threat by terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri, and the third one about absconding Indian criminals hiding in Pakistan. We can be reassured that the post of Indian foreign secretary is being held by a skilled woman diplomat. She rightly raised the Pune explosion issue before the Pakistani delegation. While there was a lot with Indian delegation to give and say to the Pakistani delegation, it seemed as if the Pakistani delegation had come here to "pass time".
To irritate Indians, Pakistan again sang the Kashmir tune. Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir went to the extent of repeating that India had a hand behind terrorism in Baluchistan. It is another matter though that they did not have any proof to substantiate the same.

Impact of Pune Explosion
After the death of 15 persons in the Pune explosion, India could have refused to talk, but still it favored talks. These talks were proof of India's goodwill. Yes, the Pune explosion did have an impact in the sense that the entire dialogue was converted into brief talks.

The main issue and regrettable fact is that Pakistan is not doing anything in the direction of stopping terrorism directed against India. When Nirupama Rao must have said that both countries would keep in touch in the future, Salman Bashir obviously must have been very pleased because for Pakistan, the show of talks is more important. After returning to Pakistan, Bashir would, perhaps, publicize that India is compelled to talk and there would be talks in the future.

Maintaining Positive Attitude
It should be noted here that the Indian Government had decided to hold talks again with Pakistan with a positive attitude, but this positive attitude could be maintained only if we continue to exert adequate pressure on Pakistan. Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack, is openly holding rallies in Pakistan and issuing threats against India, but the Pakistani Government cannot see this truth.
The Indian delegation has done the right thing by also raising this issue during the talks. India would have to reply to Pakistan's pack of lies by always speaking the truth. Some day, it would be ashamed. Some day it would improve. We must continue to talk with this hope.