IT is once again confirmed that the United States, in its bid to please India, frequently adopts anti-Pakistan posture and that too on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations and at the same time conveniently ignores fully documented state-sponsored terrorism and gross human rights violations by New Delhi. In a joint statement issued as Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a state visit to Washington, the two countries called for action against extremist groups allegedly based in Pakistan such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. “They strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks,” the statement said.
It is known to the international community that Indian allegations against Pakistan are politically motivated as New Delhi wants to keep Islamabad under pressure for its principled-based diplomatic, political and moral support for the legitimate freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. The allegations of terrorism are levelled to discredit aspirations of Kashmiris for their birth right of self-determination as guaranteed by the United Nations in its relevant resolutions. India is not only violator of these resolutions but has used draconian laws and suppressive measures including custodial killings, fake encounters, genocide, rape, abductions and systematic efforts to turn Muslims into minority in the disputed region and destroy their livelihood as part of its campaign to silence Kashmiris. It is, therefore, highly deplorable that the world’s only superpower, instead of taking up these issues of serious human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir by Indian occupation forces, has opted to lend support to the anti-Pakistan narrative of New Delhi. It is also unfortunate that on the one hand the United States acknowledges Kashmir as a disputed territory but on the other hand the joint statement is mum on the issue. It is because of this attitude and self-serving policies of the United States that raise questions about its credibility as a neutral arbiter or champion of human rights. The US pampering would encourage India to persist with its oppressive policies in Occupied Kashmir complicating the human rights situation further. The language used in the joint statement should serve as an eye-opener for policy-makers of Pakistan as the role and sacrifices of the country in the war against terror have completely been ignored and instead wild allegations levelled at the instance of India. American duplicity on the issues involved is evident from the fact that it banned ‘butcher’s’ entry into the United States when it suited its agenda and embraced the same butcher for the sake of trade, military sales and in a bid to lure in New Delhi as partner in its strategic plans to check rising China. It is for this very reason that the United States is offering all sorts of technologies to India including highly sensitive ones that would surely be used to sharpen India’s nuclear teeth and missile capabilities, imperilling security and defence of its small neighbours, particularly Pakistan. Ironically, the joint statement claims the US-India Major Defence Partnership has emerged as a pillar of global peace and security but in practice is stoking tension in the region as its very objective is to prepare India as a bulwark against China which has always demonstrated its commitment to good neighbourly relations and cooperative engagement. The liberal offers made to India for cooperation in new defence domains including space and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have serious security implications for other countries of the region because of track record of India to bully smaller countries. The joint statement also claims the contemporary global order has been built on principles of the UN Charter, international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states but it has been rendered ineffective because of its manipulation for advancing questionable regional and global agendas and that is why there are growing demands for a new but just world order. In a nutshell, Modi’s visit to the United States and its outcome is most likely to escalate regional tension and arms race, which would go against the cherished objective of promoting regional and global peace and stability.
