Dr Muhammad Khan
During his address at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Minister
Imran Khan put across Pakistani perspective on various regional and global issues with lot of clarity and in a sentimental throbbing. While winning the hearts and minds of Kashmiris and the people of Pakistan, Imran Khan’s primary audience included the international community and the global leadership, involved in strategic planning and decision making. Four main themes (indeed, four global issues) were focus of Prime Minister’s speech at UNGA, all having their intimate connection with the global power play, controlled by international power centres.
Climate change is a very serious global issue, created primarily by industrial countries, still not ready to give-up carbon emission, owing to economic reasons. These industrial giants have their major share in causing environmental degradation and clime change, which impacts developing and under developed world more than the developed world. Prime Minister, Imran Khan tried to warn these industrial states to realize their responsibilities towards this global catastrophe, which will impact all, if not stopped now. Apart from climate change, corruption and money laundering is yet another global curse, through which wealth is shifted from under developed world to developed world, which promote poverty and extreme mind-set in the former states, paving grounds for militancy and terrorism. This transfer of wealth take place with the connivance of powerful capitals through ruling class and wealthy individuals of the poor countries, thus further alienating and isolating the poor states forcing them to ask for loans from these capitals, the World Bank and IMF. The ultimate objective from these ill practices is to create a mechanism for the exploitation of these states on one hand and usage of their masses on the other hand to pave way for their intrusion or long-term influence in these countries.
The 3rd part of Imran Khan’s speech was about Islamophobia, in fact an engineered fear, hatred or else a prejudice found in almost all non-Muslim worlds against Muslims and Islam. This is yet another extreme, the global power centres have chosen to exploit the Muslim world, bestowed with extraordinary economic resources, wealth and geopolitical location. Indeed, the global north (rich and powerful countries) has been using various strategies to exploit the Muslim world, ever since World War-II.
The contemporary phase of Islamophobia is a wider phenomenon, used as a tool to exploit the Muslims everywhere. In the garb of a threat from the so-called Islamic militants (created by these powers as a pretext) the powerful countries have found plea to either invade or imperialize the Muslim world. They have already created an atmosphere where the Muslim world stands divided at two broader levels; the intra-state and inter-state. Besides, there exists a wide gulf between the ruling elites and the poor masses (elites vs streets) in almost all Muslim countries. Those not coming to term must learn from the examples Sudan, Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Subsequently, these powers control the policies of these state by influencing the elites; providing them huge war munitions in lieu of huge financial costs to fight each other and for combating the so-called Islamic militants; an unending conflicting mechanism.
The 4th and the most significant part of the speech, Prime Minister Imran Khan has devoted for the cause of Kashmir, which he mandated for himself as an ambassador of the people of entire state of Jammu and Kashmir. By presenting the Kashmir case in front of international community through an unambiguous way, Imran khan has won for himself the status of a popular leader. He indeed, highlighted the mind-set behind the August 5, 2019 Indian illegal annexation of the occupied state in violation of UNSC resolutions.
Kashmiris have rejected long ago, the Indian rule, Indian constitution and above all any demographic change, which India is trying to impact in the garb of this unlawful annexation. In the last fifty-seven days of siege and curfew in occupied state, over 12000 youth have been abducted and either killed or shifted to various parts of India. Besides a hundreds of women have been abducted and raped by occupying Indian Army. Imran Khan also warned the world about the impending threats, to these Kashmiris, once the curfew is lifted. Since Kashmiris will never accept the illegal and immoral Indian annexation, therefore would revolt. This will be retaliated by occupation Indian Army, giving way to genocide of Kashmiris? Already, the youth in Kashmir is being killed systemically by Indian Army since last three years. The world and especially the UNO must take all necessary measures for an immediate lifting of siege and curfew from IOK and demilitarized all the population centres.
In the event of any outbreak of war between India and Pakistan, as India continue threatening, let the world know the likely catastrophe, it would witness. Therefore, it is the most appropriate time for the United Nations for the implementation of its long-awaited resolutions on Kashmir. All resolutions on Kashmir are worth implementing, being binding in nature. The question of Chapter VI and Chapter VII is a post 1960s connotation, whereas, the UNSC resolutions on Kashmir are pre 1960, making them worth implementing.
The diplomatic community and political team of Prime Minister Imran Khan must not allow to slow-down the impetus of the political and diplomatic overture, he has made during 74th Session of UNGA. This is a golden opportunity to pursue the Kashmir case for attaining four main resolves; ending the curfew from IOK, reversing the illegal annexation, demilitarization of populated areas and finally conduct of Plebiscite under UN for the exercise of right of self-determination by Kashmiris.
— The writer, a retired Brig, is Professor of Politics and International Relations at International Islamic University, Islamabad.