On August 5 this year Indian Parliament made Article 370 and 35A inoperative. Immediately Pakistan reacted with sharp retaliatory measures, first by suspending all bilateral trades and communication-links including trains connecting two countries and then, by trimming down the diplomatic channel. Next it approached the UN and whatever countries the Pak-leadership is ‘friendly’ with, soliciting them to act as ‘nanny’ in what had been accepted as a bilateral issue decades ago. Led by its cricketer-turned-politician Prime Minister it also started muscle-flexing, and shooting infuriating speeches from all barrels with veiled threats ranging from state-sponsored (?) retaliatory terrorist attacks of Pulwama-style to full-and-final nuclear-war to provoke and give ideas to anti-India terrorist outfits operating on its soil or territory under control.
Apparently their leaders’ heart bled so much for the Kashmiris living on other side of line control that in their grief-stricken mind-set they lost reasoning to mix-up history and geography with the political aspirations. If igniting speeches and tweets are aimed at creating unrest across line of control by tickling Islamic-sentiments all over, then this malafide intention needs appropriate handling by us as much as by the ‘sensible’ world.
The Pak PM should not forget that his primary answerability is to the Muslims of Pakistan who elected him, and not to the Kashmiri Muslims. Leading a cash-starved country like Pakistan, its leadership has time and again gone ‘begging’ to ‘friendly’ states like China, Saudi Arabia, UAE and even ‘unpredictable’ US. Pakistan has also failed as a state on most fronts, be it employment, education or primary healthcare. Their record on women and infant mortality is not enviable either. Almost all their leaders are jailed on corruption-charges. The Pakistani currency is currently at an all-time-low against US-dollar at Rs 160.
By suspending bilateral trade it has already multiplied misery of its poorer section that now buy basic food-items like onions at higher price, import from India being banned. Meaningless arms race alongside anti-India gestures to divert attention of its polity has only failed Pakistan as an economy to drain-out tax-payers. Their PM should first address these issues, before aiming to pin India down on J&K. And if he cannot, then the least he should as a self-proclaimed-peace-lover is to refrain from making infuriating speeches! Pakistan’s records on harbouring cross-border and international terrorism are open today notwithstanding its pompous claims otherwise.
Recent schizophrenics by its leadership will only add to it. During his US-visit Pak PM reportedly admitted to operating of nearly 30-thousand terrorists still from its soil. Why does he not arrest them? Pak’s own record on human rights is not exactly great, and its occupation in Baluchistan is under scanner. Why does its leadership not address them?
Coming to Article 370 and its lifting, one needs to note that before also it was modified by Indian parliament. It was even originally adopted under ‘temporary aspect’. Nobody questioned the propriety then. So why is it challenged now? Why cannot they accept it as ‘just another modification’?
