TRULY it was a major diplomatic win for Pakistan and failure of India that the dispute of Jammu & Kashmir once again exclusively resonated at the UN Security Council after a long gap of over fifty years. Despite New Delhi’s all out efforts to get the meeting cancelled or postponed, the very consultation has verified that the UNSC’s Resolutions on Kashmir are as much alive and relevant as ever, dispelling the impression that these are no longer valid.Briefing the media about the outcome of the UNSC’s discussions held behind closed doors in New York, Chinese Ambassador to UN Zhang Jun said the member countries were concerned about the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir which has been facing blackout and curfew since August 4 – a day before India’s announcement to unilaterally abrogate special provisions that gave autonomy to the disputed territory. The very meeting itself negated the Indian claim that Kashmir is an internal dispute rather it once again brought to the fore at the international level that it is an undecided and disputed territory – the future of which can only be decided by the Kashmiri people themselves. The UNSC members reaffirmed the Council’s relevant resolutions on the issue, vindicating Pakistan’s position that the resolutions that call for a plebiscite in the disputed territory should be implemented.
The factor that motivated the world body to refocus on Kashmir after more than fifty years was highlighted by Russian envoy to UN Demitry Polyanskiy. “Very much concerned, we hope to avoid it”, said the Russian diplomat when asked by the media if Moscow was concerned the dispute could escalate into a larger conflict between India and Pakistan. Definitely the world cannot remain oblivious to the current situation in occupied Kashmir where India has broken all records of tyranny and persecution and laid a siege around the whole valley as well as the heating up of situation on the Line of Control. The very shocking and irresponsible statement by the Indian Defence Minister on the possible change in its ‘no first use policy’ of nuclear weapons has proved that Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint. Voice of Kashmiri people, as very rightly stated by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi, has been heard in the highest diplomatic forum of the world but it is time to move forward as indeed diplomacy is a step- by-step approach and we can expect wonders happening on this festering dispute in a matter of few days. Our leadership in consultation with relevant institutions as well as all the political parties need to frame the future course of action in order to keep the dispute in the limelight. The entire Pakistani nation indeed is grateful to the all-weather friend China for standing with Pakistan and Kashmiri people and raising their voice at the world body.
The UNSC meeting has once again internationalized Kashmir dispute and now it is up to us as to how we move forward from this first step at the UNSC. India has committed violation of the international laws and the UNSC’s own resolutions on Kashmir by scrapping its special status. This is indeed a blatant defiance of the Council’s resolutions which were also accepted by India. This evil move is definitely aimed at changing the demographic composition of the disputed territory by allowing the Hindu settlements there. Firstly we understand that the Council itself should have taken action against New Delhi for defying its resolutions but as it has not happened yet, Pakistan should knock the doors of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Indian illegal acts. The very tyranny and persecution unleashed by Indian forces in occupied territory amount to war crimes and Modi should be held accountable for them by the international court. In addition, Pakistan should also approach the UN Human Rights Council and unmask the Indian tyranny and persecution of Kashmiri people. It is time for the world community to give serious consideration to the resolution of this lingering dispute and fulfil the promises made with the Kashmiri people decades ago, otherwise, the situation evolving in occupied territory where the people have now started pouring on to the streets, could spin out of the control and engulf the whole region.
