Reflections on Kashmir Solidarity Day

On February 5 every year, Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day (KSD) on which it has become customary for Islamabad to say three things. One, it pledges unflinching political and moral support for the ‘self determination’ movement, two, it blames India for refusing to implement UN resolutions on Kashmir and three, it condemns the international community for displaying abject indifference on the Kashmir issue. And now that KSD is over and emotions stirred by all the promises, accusations and complaints made by Islamabad and the Hurriyat have subsided, it’s time we returned to our rational selves and realistically took stock of the situation. After all, since we have been observing KSD for 28 long years, isn’t it prudent to ask ourselves a simple question- in what way has this much publicised event helped the ‘self determination’ movement in Kashmir?

The first thing that will strike any impartial observer is that instead of using legally and technically sound arguments to reinforce its case as well as debunk New Delhi’s Kashmir narrative, the Government of Pakistan and its military is unfortunately using events like KSD to settle political and military scores with India. And when the focus shifts from the Kashmir issue to verbal attacks on New Delhi then certain ill considered statements are invariably issued that end up compromising the ideological character of the ‘K’ issue. An example is Hurriyat (G) chairman SAS Geelani’s advice Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the issue of Kashmir “cannot be resolved through rhetoric or provocative statements.”

Geelani sahib has undoubtedly hit the nail on the head with his sagacious advice that rhetoric will not resolve the Kashmir issue. However, while the Hurriyat (G) chairman was censuring HM Singh for his rhetorical outburst, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was ironically himself promoting rhetoric by telling the ‘Azad Jammu &Kashmir’ Assembly that all Pakistan had to do was to continue drawing international attention to the Kashmir issue on every forum available. Now doesn’t PM Abassi’s statement prove that just like New Delhi, Islamabad is also guilty of relying solely on rhetoric when it comes to dealing with the ‘K’ issue?

Islamabad says that the people of Kashmir should decide their own future and this stand is appreciable as it’s in complete conformity with UN resolutions. On the occasion of KSD, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has reaffirmed that Islamabad would stand beside the Kashmiri people and support their ‘right to self-determination’- an announcement that  is quite heartening. However, when a learned and experienced person like FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal who has served in the FO for more than 22 years tweets that Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan on this occasion, doesn’t it convey an impression to the world that what Islamabad claims to be its principled ‘self determination’ push is basically a cover up for its territorial ambitions?

We may not realise it but sometimes even seemingly isolated incidents can be easily linked to give an entirely different picture. And how the BJP successfully connected Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer’s dinner invitation to Pakistani High Commissioner on the eve of Gujarat elections with his more than two years old statement on a Pakistani TV channel requesting removal Indian PM Narendra Modi proves the point! Thus, while there is nothing odd about Geelani sahib expressing gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their unflinching political and moral support to people of J&K, but to make a specific mention of the Pakistan army on this account gives this issue a completely different complexion. And already we have some Kashmir analysts questioning Geelani sahib’s statement on the grounds that how can an army possibly provide political and moral support to a movement outside its territory?

Pakistan army’s out of the ordinary interest in the Kashmir issue has made the international community wary and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s ‘keeping snakes in the backyard’ remark proves that despite Islamabad’s repeated denials the world sees a direct link of the Pakistan army with militant groups. To make matters worse, just like his predecessors, Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa too has come out with a statement on KSD in which he talks about “repression of Indian occupying forces,” the slumber of the International community on the issue of holding plebiscite under UN resolution and how the “struggle” of Kashmiris “is destined to succeed.” Though Gen Bajwa hasn’t specified which “struggle” he is talking about, but the international community will obviously link it with what Pakistan calls “armed struggle” in Kashmir!

With United Jihad Council (UJC) chief and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin’s having already admitted that his militant outfit is “fighting Pakistan’s war in Kashmir” the international community’s suspicion of the Pakistan army- militants link will only reinforced. Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed has already proclaimed that “We support the Pakistani government and Pakistan army in their efforts to help the people of Kashmir; and we call it jihad.” Thus, Gen Bajwa’s statement about the “struggle” in Kashmir being destined to succeed is bound to be interpreted by the international community as an admission of the Pakistan army’s support to militant activities in Kashmir! And this perception doesn’t auger well for the ‘self determination’ movement!

Tailpiece: While Geelani sahib has heaped lavish praise on Pakistan for its “categorical support,” but by adding that “(We) hope the country (Pakistan) plays a more effective role in this regard by activating all its embassies and allocating them the task of highlighting Kashmir issue and human rights violations,” he has addressed two important issues. The first is that the Hurriyat seems to have reconciled to the fact that on the issue of Kashmir all it can expect from Islamabad is rhetoric and symbolism. The second is that even on the rhetoric front Pakistan isn’t doing enough on the issue of Kashmir. And thus chances of the Kashmir imbroglio being resolved in the foreseeable future appear to be extremely remote!