Reaction by the Parliament was expected soon after Pakistan National Assembly did an unfriendly act of passing a resolution that condemns the execution of the main conspirator of terrorist attack on the Parliament, Afzal Guru. Passing such resolution is infringement of international law of not interfering in the internal affairs of a foreign state. Moreover, it is indirect contravention of the commitment made by Pakistan not to allow terrorists use its soil for exporting terror and violence to the neighbouring country.
In Pakistan, general elections to the National Assembly are round the corner. Given her tenuous domestic situation, increasing graph of sectarian and terrorist oriented violence, and drying up of funding sources so as to hit her economy badly, there is overall a tense situation and speculation is rife whether general elections will be held or not. All this makes the position of the ruling party very tenuous. Therefore, it is now using the time tested card of plying up Kashmir issue. The resolution on Afzal Guru passed by her National Assembly betrays less sympathy for either Afzal or the people of Kashmir. It is essentially and exclusively meant to boost the profile of the ruling coalition and widen its constituency for the forthcoming elections. In other words, Pakistan is, as usual, politicizing Kashmir, a policy that has brought disaster to the unfortunate people of State.
Afzal Guru was the prime mover of a conspiracy of attacking the Parliament. As such he was the central figure for the terrorist operation of Indian Parliament. Now assuming that Pakistan sincerely wants to be a partner of the Americans and the world community in fighting terror, how is she going to justify her support to a conspicuous terrorist whose action against the Parliament cost the precious lives of nine guards of the Parliament? Had not these guards sacrificed their lives, the impact of the attack would have been disastrous and one is horrified to imagine the consequences. The resolution passed by Pakistan in Parliament will convince international community that this country is making a double speak. The US and her NATO allies have already been convinced of this double speak and the US Government have made no secret of their concerns.
For quite some time, the two countries have been involved in bilateral talks overtly as well as covertly for taking concrete steps to normalize bilateral relations. It is called peace building measures. India has travelled long distance to meet Pakistan halfway in the process of normalizing of relations. But taking Pakistan’s reaction into account, we find that there is no sincerity in what they are expressing in public. Continued firing along the LoC especially in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch, repeated attempts of infiltrating terrorists, shameful and dastardly act of trespassing into Indian territory in Mendhar sector and killing two Indian soldiers and severing the head of one of them, and whipping up passions through incessant anti-India propaganda and now passing a resolution on Afzal Guru and expressing concern for the people of Kashmir, are all measures that amply speak out the insincerity of Pakistan. Pakistan’s uncalled for resolution vindicates the opposition in our Parliament which has been questioning the wisdom of the Ministry of External Affairs of continuing bilateral talks. The Prime Minister made it clear that normalcy in bilateral relations cannot be possible in an atmosphere in which Pakistan has failed to dismantle the terror structure.
Both the houses of the Indian Parliament have taken the right decision of rejecting the resolution of Pakistan National Assembly. They have also reiterated the content and spirit of its unanimous resolution of 1994 in which it was stated that J&K is an integral part of the Indian Union and the Union reserves the right to take it back as it has the will as well as the power to do so. This is the real Kashmir problem. The lasting solution of the problem lies in taking back the part of the original state of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan in 1947 plus that part of Siachin which has been illegally ceded by Pakistan to China.
There seems little sense in continuing bilateral talks for peace building measures though its suspension is a painful thing. Normal international relations attach great importance to bilateral negotiations to solve the disputes. But in the case of Pakistan which has waged four wars on Kashmir, and now the unfriendly act of passing resolution, is a clear indication that they have no faith in their claims of moving along the path of normalization of relations. Pakistan has a very weak case in Baluchistan. In fact it is her Achilles heel. India could exploit the volatile situation in Baluchistan to her political advantage. The Baluch dissidents would welcome political, moral and diplomatic support. But New Delhi does not think along those lines. Maybe if Pakistan fails to contain export of terror to India, New Delhi may find its patience running out and then there would be tremendous pressure from the people to handle the terrorist issue in more effective manner.
It should be clear to all on this and the other side of the LoC that J&K is and shall remain an integral part of the Indian Union. No power on earth can even separate her from the Union. India has massive developmental plan up her sleeve for the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Particularly in the area of connectivity, the State will embark on a new geo-political strategy that will drastically change the entire economic life of the State.
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