How Effective Is Pak Foreign Policy on Kashmir?

The problem with those handling Pakistan’s foreign policy is that instead of quietly stepping back when the diplomatic winds aren’t blowing their way, they prefer to brazen it out and thus frequently end up with egg on their faces. The latest such reverse for Islamabad is Birmingham City Council withdrawing permission for a rally to commemorate the death of popular Kashmiri militant commander Burhan Wani by the Indian forces on July 8 last year. And what makes this more embarrassing for Islamabad is that this comes just days after Washington declared United Jihad Council (UJC) chief and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin a “global terrorist.”

Islamabad may not be officially involved in the organising the Burhan Wani commemoration rally at Victoria Square in Birmingham but yet its cancellation is nothing less than an indirect rebuke to it for two reasons. Firstly, starting off by lauding Burhan Wani as a “Kashmiri Leader” in the statement released by his office after his death, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke of him as a “young leader” while addressing the annual session of United Nations General Assembly last year. And ever since then, Sharif has been frequently referring to Burhan, fondly calling him a “vibrant and charismatic Kashmiri leader” as well as a “freedom fighter.” By doing this, Sharif has unambiguously acknowledged that Islamabad fully supports what it refers to as “freedom struggle” in Kashmir!

I don’t know who gave Sharif the suggestion of trying to convince the international community that the violence in Kashmir was not terrorism but a legitimate freedom struggle. However, I know for sure that at a time when numerous countries all over the world are either grappling with terrorism or feeling threatened by its specter, this idea wasn’t a good one at all! Despite finding no takers, Islamabad didn’t take this hint seriously and continued trying to sell its ‘freedom struggle’ theory. Expectedly, while this campaign has given no positive results to Islamabad, it has helped New Delhi to tell the world that Ms Eenam Gambhir, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India at the UN wasn’t exaggerating when she had remarked that Pakistan “is now host to the Ivy League of terrorism.”

To make matters worse, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of an international parliamentary seminar on Kashmir held in January at Islamabad, Sharif said that the “martyrdom of Burhan Wani has given a new turn to the Kashmiri movement” and asserted that Kashmir is an “integral part” of Pakistan. Though there is nothing wrong with either of these statements but when made simultaneously they do create a very negative perception within the international community. Whatever may be his personal feelings on the issue of armed struggle in Kashmir but as the Prime Minister of a country that is itself a victim of terrorism, publically eulogising militants conveys the impression that even if it is not sponsoring cross border terrorism, Islamabad is surely encouraging it!

Secondly, by decreeing that Kashmir is an “integral part” of Pakistan, Sharif has given an impression to the international community that Islamabad’s hue and cry about holding plebiscite to ascertain whether Kashmiris want to stay with India or go with Pakistan is just a farce. When Islamabad first hails militants and then claims Kashmir on the basis that the people there are up in arms against New Delhi, then how can we accuse the international community of having an anti-Pakistan bias just because it doesn’t agree with Islamabad’s point of view? And this is exactly what Islamabad has alleged after the US State Department declared Salahuddin a “global terrorist.”

The unfortunate part is that in order to cover the serious inadequacies bedeviling its own diplomatic strategy, Islamabad has come up with the excuse that Washington acted against the UJC chief only to “appease India.” Even if its allegation is true, doesn’t the Foreign Office (FO) realise that such daft statements give undue importance to New Delhi while  unwittingly admitting that Washington doesn’t give a fig for Islamabad’s sentiments despite the fact that the Pakistan army its foremost ally in the war against terror? And if Islamabad really feels that slapping Salahuddin with the “global terrorist” tag is “unjustified” then why doesn’t the FO summon the US Ambassador to Pakistan and officially communicate its resentment to Washington?

I know for sure that if asked, both Islamabad and the Hurriyat will maintain that cancellation of the rally in Birmingham to commemorate Burhan Wani’s martyrdom is not a big issue as it is just the decision of a local civic body and because this rally wasn’t sponsored by the Government of Pakistan or the Hurriyat. While they may be right in saying so but the real issue of concern is not the cancellation of the rally but the reason for it. This event has been canceled in response to the “note verbale” sent by India’s Deputy High Commissioner to UK and even if this doesn’t upset Islamabad or the Hurriyat, but why have they maintained a complete silence on India equating Burhan Wani with Khuram Butt and other terrorists who were involved in the London Bridges attack?

Why can’t the Hurriyat leaders see how Islamabad’s ill-considered diplomatic initiatives are giving the ongoing struggle in Kashmir a complexion of terrorism and thus spoiling our case on Kashmir? If Pakistan has an axe to grind with India, let it not be at the cost of Kashmir and its seven decade old rhetoric now needs to be replaced by action. We have had enough of solidarity shows and repeatedly heard hollow promises being made.

Why can’t the Hurriyat leaders see how Islamabad’s ill-considered diplomatic initiatives are giving the ongoing struggle in Kashmir a complexion of terrorism and thus spoiling our case on Kashmir? If Pakistan has an axe to grind with India, let it not be at the cost of Kashmir and its seven decade old rhetoric now needs to be replaced by action. We have had enough of solidarity shows and repeatedly heard hollow promises being made. Seven decades of experience has taught us that Islamabad is no better than an indulgent granny who can paint rosy pictures about our future by convincing us that we can slay the ‘dragon’ called New Delhi but is too frail and helpless to assist us in doing so.

Thus, even though Islamabad can’t really be of any worthwhile assistance in our quest for Azadi, but since it fills us with unbounded optimism and strengthens our belief that some miracle is in the offing, Pakistan continues to remain our indispensible ally!

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