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AMID signals of fabulous concessions to generate amity
with India, Pakistan has set off yet another proffer vis-à-vis
Kashmir, which has been the nucleus symbol of irritants
between the two nuke-neighbors for the last five-n’-a-half
decades.
Towards this facet, the text
of President Musharraf’s interview with a British news agency
has mottled n’ disseminated — around the global Atlas — with
mixed feedback from Annan of the United Nations, Armitage of
USA — to Atique of Kashmir.
The top Indian headship—with its Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee
and his aficionado LK Advani—are, however still mute n' mum as
none of the two have so far come out with an eloquent
reaction. They seem to be in a silhouette of yawning thinking
or confronted with a complex course as by accepting President
Musharraf's proposal for flexibility, India shall have to
seize at-once its groundless typical rhetoric that the
disputed state of Jammu n’ Kashmir was its 'integral part': If
so happens, it will be a great diplomatic achievement for
Pakistan.
Yet, there has been a sharp n’ swift retort in Pakistan n’ in
the Kashmiri circles on both sides of the Line of Control
[LoC] in the charismatic Himalayan State. Whereas some have
endorsed Musharraf’s point of view, phrasing it as the
acknowledgement of ‘ground realities’ as their podium of
vision, the others have beamed their outlook that they
would—in no way—go along such a plea.
Whatever the upshot of the President’s avowal
may—eventually—surface, pragmatically it appears that he has
taken a bold step to bring the radical Indian leadership to
the table of talks, an imperative point, New Delhi has—by
now—been evading with one hideous ploy or the other.
Even with a changed universal scenario—meticulously due to the
post-Nine/Eleven episode—which has shrunk the role of the
United Nations, opening vistas for the United States to behave
as the solo master of world’s destiny, Musharraf has always
voiced the aspirations of Kashmiris—in an unequivocal style,
overtly supporting their birth right of self-determination, as
has been mandated by the world body time n’ again.
With this pragmatism, it is hard to believe that the President
would ever let down the nation as he has been and is the firm
promoter of peace in South Asia—yet with dignity n’ honour—as
its pedestal. Prima facie, he can’t be coerced or dictated by
any power—even its’ a mightier-one like the United
States—towards his perceptions of Pakistan’s national
interests—wherein the solution of the Kashmir issue stands
atop. Hence, we are ought to have a reliance in his
vision—explicitly—in the wake of his zest for bringing the
despotic era, unleashed by India in occupied Kashmir—to an
eternal end.
With this realism, it would be rather asymmetrical n’
lop-sided to over-react on the President’s interview—by
lifting eyebrows on his patriotic intents—as the time ahead
shall make every feature, as clear as crystal. Now when the
Pakistan is cruising through the most significant phase of its
history—with atypical settings—specifically due the
hostilities, being posed by a couple of its
neighbors—of-course with India atop, it is vital that
every-one eschews ‘opposition for the sake of opposition’.
Instead, the actualities are needed to be evaluated with a
down-to-earth mindset.
Simultaneously, it is an apposite time for President Musharraf
to attest that his latest perspective is—in no way—a sudden
180-degree shift in Pakistan’s principled policy, for which
the country has suffered a lot during the last half century.
Such an appraisal would evaporate loads of perceptible
dilemmas as well as several ramifications. Else it will give
the impression that we are conceding too much to India in
return for almost nothing.
To bear in mind, Pakistan has already proclaimed a number of
concessions for India—such as ceasefire on LoC, moves to
increase bilateral trade and accelerating the SAARC processes
which might give India an apparent edge in economic and trade
terms but in return we could extract only what India had done
unilaterally after the so-called attack on its Parliament.
At the same time, India is not only obstinate in getting into
a momentous n’ meaningful dialogue with Pakistan to resolve
all issues including the longed dispute of Jammu and Kashmir
but also persists—adamantly—with its ferocious n’ wicked plans
to fence the LoC and construct Bagliar power project to the
detriment of Pakistan’s interests. Again, it has to be kept in
mind that Pakistan is one of the parties to the conflict and
the key party, for sure are Kashmiris.
With this insight, it would have been most obligatory if
Pakistan’s apex leadership have had taken the Kashmiri
leadership into confidence while airing such a major and
extraordinary decision. The time is still ripe for such a
measure. To avert all types of qualms, it would be apt if a
series of meetings with top political leaders of Pakistan in
the Parliament or outside its two august Houses, even those
politicians who are in exile, one way or the other
n’—irrespective of one’s leaning towards a specific party or
alliance—with Kashmiris atop is set off at-once to develop a
consensus on—‘what to do next’—under the current
circumstances, articulated by the changed global milieu.
A skirting or elusion from such a modus operandi would result
into nothing—except a state of perplexity—which Pakistan can,
in no way afford due to manifold raison d'être, more markedly
due to its shadowy political situations, wherein a tug of war
for power perseveres as an inexorable icon ever since the
egalitarian system took re-birth as a follow-up of the
October-10 polls—last year.
The jarring n’ raucous character of certain segments of the
opposition—with the ongoing protest rallies—against litigious
issues like the Legal Framework Order—LFO manifests this
veracity. On the other hand, the Jamali-led government, which
could not carry out even a single noteworthy legislation,
visibly because of the inauspicious hullabaloo n’
pandemonium-like episodes in the House—also seems glued with
its own angle of prudence.
Such a backdrop makes it all the more essential that a
flexible approach is opted—both by the government n’ the
opposition—to evolve a reciprocal harmony on the political
horizons of Pakistan—most exclusively on topics like the
jugular vein of the nation, Kashmir to thwart every maneuver
of the foe—India.
As a sovereign domain, we ought not to feel fretful on the
notions n’ tempers of any power—even if it is a super-one—as
the national interests of Pakistan are much more vital than
the ‘aspires’ of any-one else with any stature—dwelling beyond
oceanic.
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