India's Newest Tenor
By the Editor

AMID a changed scenario, a highest-level contact has — eventually — got established between India and Pakistan via a one-on-one meeting on the soils of the United States between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

As the stories — based on this interaction speak-on — the two leaders have vowed to pursue peace by exploring — what they foresee — ‘possible options, backed by 'sincere spirit' and resolute method for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Kashmir dispute. The two leaders, who held an hour-long meeting in New York on Friday later eulogized — it as ‘a new chapter in bilateral ties.’ The talks were described as ‘constructive and frank’.

It’s quite obvious that the complex issues — with Kashmir atop — cannot be resolved with a magic wand. Settlement of such intricate issues rather needs time — as well as protracted dialogue with a sense of propriety, objectivity and honesty on both sides.

Prima facie, Musharraf-Manmohan — contact is just another beginning in the series of Pakistan-India interactions on Kashmir. ‘Its a good start’, the President remarked vis-à-vis the summit. At the same time, Manmohan Singh’s view that — he and President Musharraf will work together and succeed ‘in writing a new chapter — in the history of the two countries — seemingly represents a sort of commitment on India’s part to persist with the effort to address the Kashmir issue.

The pledge made by both sides — at the summit — certainly rays an icon of hope that the talks on the thorny issue of Kashmir will be taken up with pragmatic gravity — more specifically by India. As we evaluate — only time will tell whether the much trumpeted Indo-Pakistan summit will really lead to the resolution of the Kashmir issue — upon which alone rests — the peace in South Asia.

The joint statement issued after the summit represents a ‘goody goody’ approach and — it sounds as if — has avoided contentious expressions by the two sides for media consumption. It’s, nevertheless, a matter of concern that the State terrorism in occupied Kashmir and unabated brutalization of the Kashmiri people have paradoxically — not been focused at the apex-level.

As the entire world is well-acquainted with the veracity that there is no let-up in the Indian carnage in occupied Kashmir where almost 90,000 innocent people have been martyred, thousands injured with numerous still missing and hundreds of venerated women molested by the invading Indian troops.

If analyzed — with realism — this is the highest concentration of close to a million troops — in world, which is mounted hideously by India in occupied Kashmir.

The UN Security Council resolutions — along with the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination — have also remained out of sight. Though Pakistan can take credit for making India recognize that Kashmir — is a dispute between the two countries. Yet it should — in no way — be kept unnoticed that New Delhi’s interpretation of the [Kashmir] dispute’s nature has been — absolutely different from that of Islamabad.

Let’s not forget that India’s soft tone and tenor is motivated by its ambition for the UN Security Council membership. It cannot obviously seek support of any-one as an aggressor and arrogant nation. Taking this facet into account — the reality that manifests — is that the Indian leadership’s humility is, in fact, motivated alone by its propensity of deceit and capriciousness.

No doubt, President Musharraf wants to proceed ahead in tandem — on all issues. But the indications from India — depict that New Delhi has been trying to drag its’ feet on the Kashmir dispute.

Towards this, the speech of the Indian PM at the UN General Assembly is ought to serve an eye-opener for the people love peace. Whereas Dr. Manmohan Singh did vow rhetoric; to make the process of dialogue with Pakistan ‘purposeful’ — yet, he meticulously eschewed a word of commitment on Kashmir. It shows that on the ground, the situation is overtly — divergent.

With these circumstances, it can be deduced that assurance to peace and talks, being made by India and now by Manmohan Singh at the UN is something, far away from the core of heart. Virtually it is a PR exercise to present India’s credentials as a ‘peace-loving’ country — and to hoodwink the nations around the Orb.

If Singh is pragmatically sincere, he must match his words with deeds — and make visible moves — towards peaceful solution of the Kashmir dispute — as there can’t be any meaningful breakthrough nor any kind of ties — like love or friendship, trade or collaboration, in any arena of life, or if other-way round phrased any accomplishment — on any facet sans the solution of Kashmir, and that too — which reflect the bona fide aspirations of the people of the Himalayan State.●