Brij Bhardwaj

The changing U.S stance on policy relating to the sub-continent has set the alarm bells ringing in New Delhi as it shows that while trying to maintain a fa‡ade of neutrality, the Americans have virtually revived the line advocated earlier by former Pakistan President Gen Parvez Musharraf calling for demilitarization of the Kashmir Valley and thus making the line of control irrelevant.

While outwardly policy creates an impression of neutrality, in real terms it will help Pakistan as it calls for withdrawal of regular troops only and makes no mention of irregulars or Jihadi outfits who have been actively working to destabilize Kashmir by sending militants across the line of control. Pakistan has been helping these outfits by giving them arms, training and providing funds.

These outfits were responsible for the initial attempt to grab the valley immediately after independence and in 1965. The latest effort was made when Gen Parvez Musharraf launched his Kargil operation in the name of militants which had active support of Pakistan establishment at the highest level as revealed in a book written by former officer of Pakistan Air Force and intelligence service.
U.S Government under the Bush administration had put some pressure on Pakistan to stop backing the militants and cross border terrorism. This, however, is changing as President Obama is keen to get Pakistan support for U.S operations in Afghanistan, while ignoring cross border terrorism aimed against India. Pressure to catch culprits responsible for Mumbai attack has been eased and U.S is ignoring cross border terrorism against India.

In case the U.S proposal is acted upon, flood gates will open for infiltration into Kashmir valley as irregulars will be able to take full advantage of reduced military presence of India in the area. The pro militant elements in the valley and hard core secessionist leaders like Sayeed Ali Shah Gillani have also joined the chorus for withdrawal of Indian forces from Kashmir or at least their reduced presence in Kashmir Valley. Any pretext at present is good enough to start raising slogans for independent Kashmir or withdrawal of Indian forces.
This situation combined with demand for soft border have sinister implications, according to experts. Pakistan is seeking U.S intervention as it claims that they are not in a position to send more troops to Northern border to fight Talibans unless India reduces its presence on border with Pakistan. This game has been played by Pakistan in the past also when it received millions of dollars from U.S for fighting Talibans but purchased planes and other weapons with it to fight India. This has been confirmed by U.S agencies in recent report presented to U.S Congress.

Under the circumstances, Indian Government will have to act with caution and tell U.S in clear terms that the policy to seek Pakistan cooperation to fight Taliban's while ignoring their actions against India is not acceptable. The softening of Indian stand on the issue of talking with Pakistan or a meeting between Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Zardari in Russia while attending a meeting is a sensible position to take, but any further action to improve relations between India and Pakistan has to be linked with Pakistan establishment's willingness to act against those responsible for carnage in Mumbai or responsible for supporting Pakistan based militant groups working in Kashmir.

It is true that Pakistan is also a victim of terrorism as witnessed in assassination of its leaders and frequent bomb explosions in its major cities. But at the same time, one can not overlook the fact that Pakistan has always made a distinction between militant groups active against Americans or international forces operating in Afghanistan and those responsible for terrorism against India in general and Kashmir in particular.

The new trends clearly indicate that there may have been some changes and improvements in Indo-U.S relations, but U.S commitment to Pakistan and its desire to engage them in operations against Talibans in Afghanistan remain a top priority with them. To that extent their efforts to do some subtle and some open wire pulling to make India give some concessions to Pakistan remain strong. The establishment in Delhi is probably aware of these contradictions in U.S stance and is continuing its efforts to retain strong ties with Russia and other major powers.

In international affairs the relations between countries continue to change depending on circumstances and perceptions of top leadership but national interests remain paramount and get top priority. India has lived with pressures on Kashmir issue from different quarters and can live with them in future also. But we should look at problems in the State not in isolation as problems of law and order or security but as a part of larger international designs. The State Assembly elections had created an impression that there is a change in the mindset of Kashmiri people, but recent events have made it clear that a small spark is capable of igniting major fires as valley has a short fuse and there are enough trouble makers around to fish in troubled waters.
-NPA

[Kashmir Times]

Posted on 22 Jun 2009 by Webmaster