Lalarukh Wahid Cheema
The recent attack on tourists in Pahalgam, an area in Indian Occupied Kashmir, has escalated tensions between the two countries, as India accused Pakistan of backing cross-border terrorism. The attack claimed the lives of 26 people, who were on vacation in the area, and one native Kashmiri also lost his life while trying to save the tourists. Pakistan’s foreign office showed concern towards the unfortunate attack, extended condolences to the deceased, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. On the contrary, the Indian side took the forefront to hold Pakistan accountable for the move within hours of the attack, without any sufficient evidence to back their claims. This was followed by some very strong unilateral statements, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty that was signed between the two countries in 1960. Furthermore, the Indian public and the world have been made to believe that the region is near the Line of Control (LOC) that divides Azad Jammu Kashmir from the other side. However, the geography of the region suggests otherwise, the attack site at least 350 plus kilometers deep into IOK and under high surveillance, making it nearly impossible to enter without detection, clearly making the Indian allegations doubtful.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, made some very offensive statements, indicating at complete destruction of the land of those who conduct these terrorist attacks, hinting at Pakistan without taking the name. Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, had earlier stated similar lines, after they had given 48 hours for any Pakistani nationals to leave the country, suspension of allocated SAARC exemption visas and any further visa issuance, border closures, and reduction of the Pakistani High Commission Staff to the minimum. The Government of Pakistan called a National Security Committee Meeting to analyze the situation and respond. The outcome came with very strong decisions, including restriction of Pakistani airspace for Indian airlines, suspension of all trade relations with India from all channels, closure of Wagha border, visa suspension for all Indian Citizens, including the ones under the SAARC scheme, except for Sikh Pilgrims, declaration of Indian Defence Advisors as persona non grata (unwelcomed person by host country in simplified terms), expulsion of Indian Defence Diplomats from Pakistan and reduction of High Commission staff to 30 members. The meeting also reinforced that Pakistan will exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Agreement of 1972. This agreement was signed after the third war between the two countries, with principles forming a baseline over bilateral matters, including the mutual respect for Kashmir ceasefire matters in line with international resolutions and treaties. Furthermore, Pakistan has also reinforced that any attempt to stop water supply to the country will be seen as an “act of war” and Pakistan will respond with full force.
The implications that the Indian side is likely to face by the restriction of airspace include longer travel times leading to higher costs and fares might rise at least 8 to 12%, higher operational costs, and potential payload limitations. Whereas, by suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, India has the option to use the western rivers to generate hydroelectric power and use some surplus water for agriculture, but cannot build enough infrastructure immediately that restricts the flow of water to Pakistan or redirects it. Whereas, holding water to flow towards Pakistan without ample facilities to utilize it has its implications.
The attack responsibility was claimed by the Resistance Front, a group that emerged in the region after the developments of 2019. Indians claimed that this group is an off-set of a proscribed organization. India’s deliberation to link the attack to Pakistan despite all the facts negating the said statement signifies that it is a false flag operation to disrupt regional peace. While the TRF (the Resistance Front) group openly claims to stand against the forced imposition of demographic shift and deprivation of basic rights of Kashmiri people, India refuses to look at facts and continues to bring Pakistan into its self-created problems to avoid accountability towards its people. Let’s state some facts and understand what India did in 2019 that identifies an inhumane act of oppression towards the people of Kashmir.
The Kashmir issue remains a continued disputed point between Pakistan and India since their inception, while the state of Kashmir was divided into two; Azad Jammu Kashmir continues to remain administered by Pakistan but operates as a self-governing state, however, the Indian Occupied Kashmir was deprived of this special status. On 5th August 2019, India revoked the special status by abolishing Article 370 of the constitution, which allowed the region to have its own constitution, have a distinct flag, make its own rules and decisions except for Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Communications. Alongside this, Article 35A was also abolished, which allowed the legislature of Indian Occupied Kashmir to define the permanent resident status and the factors that distinguished them from the rest. One of the biggest rights that the residents enjoyed was that only they were allowed to own the property within the Jammu and Kashmir region. These acts were violations of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and International Law, including the 4th Geneva Convention. Multiple UN Security Council resolutions affirm that Kashmiris hold the right to self-determination, and no decision shall be taken without the will of these people who own the land. However, these revoking acts by India are primarily targeted at changing the demographics of the region and turning Kashmiris into a minority to forcefully control the region against their will, in simple words, a transition towards full occupation by eliminating any right of self-determination and imposing an identity shift.
While Pakistan has condemned the attack, and we strongly believe that every life is important, the targeted Hindu attack aligns more with Modi’s Hindutva ideology, which holds its roots in dwelling on religion-based extremism and has been one of the key objectives in the manifesto of the BJP. Such attacks are likely to ignite hostility between Muslims and Hindus residing within India as well and fuel the fire of religious distancing that serves the primary purpose of the Hindutva movement. Let’s observe closely, if India was able to find out within hours of the attack who backed it without any independent investigation and evidence collected, why did it fail to detect the armed attackers heading towards the tourists in the peak tourist season of the region? Instead of answering the valid questions, the Indian government is using the blame game to save itself from accountability.
While we mourn the loss of 26 precious lives, let’s remind India of some ground facts that should also be condemned and mourned because those lives are equally important. India has deployed around 9 lac military personnel in IIOK, who have killed around thousands of innocent Kashmiris, arrested them, held atrocities and heinous crimes like rape over the years. If we go back a little in recent times, in July 2016, when the Indian Armed Forces used disproportionate force and Pellet Guns against unarmed and innocent civilians who were protesting over the extra-judicial killing of a Kashmiri leader, Burhan Wani. Around this time, more than 240 civilians lost their lives, and 21,183 were injured. Around 250 young girls and boys permanently lost their eyesight due to pellet injuries to their faces. In April 2018, Indian forces killed more than 20 innocent unarmed civilians and injured 200 in a crackdown in Shopian and Anantnag districts of IIOK. The youth were targeted with pellet guns with many losing their eyesight. Post August 2019 decision, Indian forces have imposed curfew, arrested Kashmiri leadership, cut down communication lines to isolate them from the world, deprived them of their basic rights, and continue to do so while stealing their land by forced demographic shifts.
While Pakistan is a strong advocate of regional peace and has been fighting on diplomatic front for the rights of the People of Kashmir, we do not support any violence but we, as Pakistanis, refuse to be scapegoats of your failures and endless human rights violations that you continue to do on Kashmiris. We are fully capable of defending our country and hold no pressure to carry the weight of your intelligence or security failures. While you claim you will not forget nor forgive, make sure you do not forget the blood of Kashmiris on your hands. All human lives matter; you cannot pick and choose. Our people stand in solidarity with the People of Kashmir, and we will always be vocal for regional peace unless our sovereignty is challenged. The Government and Armed Forces of Pakistan are fully aware of the situation and capable of defending our homeland; your false allegations cannot change the ground facts. May sanity and peace prevail in the region, but, Dear Neighbors, Pakistan’s fate is not yours to decide. Long live Pakistan.
Writer is Civil Servant of Pakistan. She studied in National College of Arts (2010-2015).She can be reached at @LalarukhCheema X
