Round The
World
New Delhi, 7 August 2020
Pak’s New Offensive
NEW DELHI’S RESPONSE
By Dr D K Giri
(Prof. International Politics, JMI)
Islamabad has
launched a fresh attack on India. Following the new map released officially by
Nepal, Pakistan seeks to engage India in a cartographic war. The Government
supporters say the new is a fresh rendition of the old one issued in 2017. The
only changes are in the language and emphasis etc.
The map was released
on 4th August, a day before the first anniversary of the repeal of Article
370, and 35A. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, flanked by his Foreign Minister
Shah Muhammad Qureshi released it. He said the new map represents the
aspirations and opinions of all political parties of Pakistan and the
leadership of Kashmir. He added, it was a historic day. They would begin to
campaign worldwide to secure Kashmir from India’s occupation. Imran Khan
emphasised on the political resolution of the status of Kashmir under the UN
Security Council, not a military solution.
Khan announced that
the new map will be a part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. This
means Pakistan is preparing the next generations to continue to claim
territories from India. Pakistan has also decided to celebrate 5 August as
You-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation). The Foreign Minister’s tone was more
aggressive, as he declared that their next destination was Srinagar and said in
the India-China border conflict, Islamabad has a view too.
The map shows entire
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Sir Creek region, Junagarh, and Manavadar regions of
Gujarat, Siachen Glaciers as parts of Pakistan. The areas of Ladakh bordering China
are stated to be undefined territory in deference to China.
The reaction from
South Block was prompt and sharp. It said “Pakistan’s new map is an exercise in
political absurdity.” The argument is untenable without any legal validity or
global credulity. Pakistan claims that the map is the first step towards self
determination of Kashmiris. New Delhi dismissed it as a cheap stunt; in
reality, Islamabad uses terror as an instrument state policy. Pakistan is
obsessed with territorial aggrandisement and backs it with cross-border
terrorism.
Pakistan’s
cartographic attack is not unpredicted and New Delhi also has reacted on
predicted lines. What is interesting to note is Islamabad mirroring Nepal.
Kathmandu did a new map claiming Indian territory, got it approved by their Parliament
and is now sending it to international bodies. Islamabad wants to do the same.
Why have India’s neighbours
raise their tempo against India? It is not difficult to unravel their strategies.
Both the neighbours are working at the behest of Beijing, piggy-backing on China’s
aggression. We have written ad nauseam how New Delhi fumbled against the Chinese
and have emboldened our neighbours. Unless New Delhi successfully rebuffs China,
our discomfiture in South Asia will get worse, not better. New Delhi’s China
policy still lacks teeth. The Foreign Minister continues to prevaricate; talks
of no alliance, appeals to Chinese to trust India that it is still not aligned
with USA, Australia, Japan, or France.
At any rate, we are
not engaging here with our policy on China. We deal with our Pakistan policy.
Why do we let Kashmir issue fester? How does Pakistan raise it time and again? Clearly,
we are not doing enough to silence Pakistan. Also, we allow the other countries
to comment on Kashmir as a disputed territory. Our diplomacy has been found
lacking.
As luck would have
it, Pakistan became isolated in the world after the United States pulled off
its hand. Islamabad is left with China and Turkey to support it on Kashmir. In
the past, Pakistan used to get more support as we had to depend upon the former
Soviet Union to veto any resolution in the Security Council. Even in
international politics, you have friends and adversaries.
Facts do not speak
for themselves. You need supporters to present the facts for you. Imran Khan
talks about United Nations Security Council; we refer to the Shimla Agreement
mandating both countries for a bilateral solution.
What is the
background to Kashmir issue? Does Pakistan have a case? The answer is a big No.
Why is New Delhi not placing the facts before the international community and
call Pakistan’s bluff?
In August 1947, when
India and Pakistan became independent from Britain about 600 principalities
were given the choice of joining India or Pakistan. About 500 joined India and
100 or so annexed to Pakistan. This was done through an Instrument of
Accession, which stated that if the king along with the largest party signed to
join, that will be treated as final and irrevocable.
Jawaharlal Nehru taking
it to the United Nations and offering a plebiscite is fraught with legal
complexities and cannot override the Instrument of Accession. To illustrate,
Nehru did not get his proposal to go to UN approved by the Cabinet, nor was it
ratified by Parliament. Hence it does not obligate India to adhere to it.
Second, the UN clearly suggests that India could keep some amount of its Force
necessary to maintain law and order, whereas Pakistan had to withdraw all of
its army and the irregulars.
Lord Mountbatten,
Governor-General of India wrote to Maharaja Hari Singh who signed the Instrument
of Accession, that “as soon as Kashmir soil is cleared of the invader, people
could be consulted on the accession.” Pakistan had not vacated Kashmir, so
there was no question of any referendum. Third, a resolution that had not been implemented
in over 70 years is no longer valid. New Delhi should write to the UNSC for the
revocation of that Resolution.
So we are back to the
Instrument. Here, the shoe is on the other leg. Pakistan is the invader and the
illegal occupier of Indian territory. Worse, it has given away parts of it to China.
So China also is the illegal occupant of part of Kashmir.
Why has India not
formally claimed POK except in informal talks within the country? The Indian
Parliament passed a unanimous resolution to say the entire Kashmir belongs to
India. Why has New Delhi not launched a diplomatic offensive to claim POK? Some
experts including from JNU, suggest that both countries have no other option
than to accept LoC as the permanent border. That is a weak and unparliamentarily
position.
India’s foreign
policy has been reactive, not pro-active. That is the crux of the problem.
Pakistan talks of self-determination of Kashmiris. What about the
self-determination of Baluchs? New Delhi can recognise Baluchistan as a
separate country and open diplomatic contact with them. If that is too radical, open a Centre to deal
with human rights violations in Baluchistan. It is time New Delhi took the
fight to Beijing and Islamabad. There has to be a serous strategy shift, not
the outdated platitudes we get to hear from our Foreign Minister. –INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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