Ali Sukhanver
IN the South Asian region the situation is getting seriously dangerous and gravely complicated after India’s stubborn action of changing the status of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. Recently Pakistan’s Foreign Minister went to China on a diplomatic mission where he was warmly welcomed by the Chinese authorities. It is in news that he ‘visited China in a bid to seeking allies for a UN resolution against New Delhi for revoking Kashmir’s autonomy’. During the meeting Mr Wang expressed grave concern about the situation in Kashmir, the cause of two wars between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan. He assured Shah Mehmood Qureshi that Beijing would continue to support Pakistan to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. In short this was a very fruitful visit but certainly not a ‘good omen’ for India, so to counter the situation Indian Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, flew to Beijing himself just after the visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during the talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, said that “the two nations should ensure that it was important that differences between us, if any, should not become disputes”. China did not welcome this statement and its Foreign Ministry had to release a statement just to clarify China’s position. The statement said, “China has taken a ‘principled’ stand on ‘unilateral’ actions by India, and has urged New Delhi to play a constructive role in regional peace and stability”. Obviously the Chinese response did not prove pleasing to the Indian hi-ups and they issued a warning to China to stay out of the dispute over Kashmir’s status. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said that ‘decisions on Kashmir were an internal matter concerning the territory of India as their country does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise.’
At present, nothing happening there in Kashmir is unexpected or strange after President Trump’s offer to mediate on Kashmir issue. All actions taken by the Modi Government simply show the climax of mental panic Mr Modi and his loved ones are passing through at the moment. According to the Indian media, the Government of India has decided to change the administrative status of Jammu and Kashmir and that of Ladakh. Jammu and Kashmir would be turned into a Union Territory with a legislature whereas the Ladakh Division would be made a separate Union Territory without legislature. The Indian plan of changing the administrative status of Ladakh has annoyed China a lot. It has raised serious objections on the formation of Ladakh as Union Territory by India, saying it undermined its territorial sovereignty. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying has recently said that China has always opposed India’s inclusion of the Chinese territory in the western sector of the China-India boundary into its administrative jurisdiction. Hua said in a statement that India has continued to undermine China’s territorial sovereignty by unilaterally changing its domestic law,” She further said that such practice was “unacceptable and will not come into force.” She also said, “We urge India to exercise prudence in words and deeds concerning the boundary question, strictly abide by relevant agreements concluded between the two sides and avoid taking any move that may further complicate the boundary question.”
Looking at the present situation of the India-occupied Kashmir, one can easily feel that ‘prudence’ could never be expected from the Modi government particularly in the matters relevant to Kashmir. At present, Kashmir is literally burning. The Guardian has recently published an analysis on the worsening situation in Kashmir which says, “By subverting the constitution, ignoring India’s Simla obligation to ensure that the ‘principles and purposes’ of the UN Charter govern relations with Pakistan, and removing Kashmiris’ right to self-governance, Modi has placed himself squarely in the wrong. To argue, as he does, that Kashmir is solely an internal matter is to ignore the realities of 70-plus years of strife.” Fortunately in a recent meeting on Kashmir issue the UN Security Council has also rejected this argument of Mr Modi. It has suggested to the both countries, — Pakistan and India — to settle the matter bilaterally as Kashmir is a matter belonging to the both countries on equal grounds. Another important thing is that the matter was brought to the Supreme Court of India too by some Indian human-rights protectors; the honourable Supreme Court has yet not decided the matter but it is being hoped that some judicious decision may come out if the courts in India are not under Modi-pressure. Illegal actions could never be legalized even by providing constitutional support.
—The writer is freelance columnist based in Multan.
