Can Enhanced Indo-Pak Relations Help Resolve Kashmir Issue?

Mujtaba Rathore 

A recent statement from the Pakistan People Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari calling for enhanced Indo-Pak trade relations sans prompt settlement of Kashmir issue is being criticized by the people of Pakistan and Kashmir. He said in an interview with Karan Thaper in a CNN-IBN program that Indo-Pak relations can’t be kept hostage to Kashmir issue. It should be solved for broader peace perspectives and should be left to coming generation to solve. Both countries should cooperate in the realms of economy and trade. Notwithstanding the response of the statement as most of the Pakistani and Kashmiri leaders have also seen the statement as betrayal with the Kashmir cause, we need to analyze the statement in a wider prospective.  

First, it should be clear that the statement of Mr. Zardari can not change Pakistan’s Kashmir policy because every government and every ruler of Pakistan have their own opinion to solve the Kashmir issue, like president Musharraf’s four point formula, but their commitment with Kashmir issue is similar and the people of Pakistan would not allow to any ruler to take decision on Kashmir against their will because of their love-attachment with kashmiri brothers.[1] Pakistan will continue to extend full political, diplomatic and moral support to the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for their right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant United Nations resolutions.[2]  

There is no doubt that Kashmir dispute is the main hurdle for good relation between India and Pakistan and the two countries have fought four wars on Kashmir and have wasted billions of rupees on defending the ‘line of control’. But for the solution of Kashmir issue there is still need to remove the enmity between two countries that extends over more than 60 years. People to people contacts and inter-dependence in trade could help negate the fear factor in both countries. “Setting aside Kashmir” for a good relation does not mean that Kashmir dispute will be neglected rather it means to create an atmosphere of trust to solve all the disputes between two countries including Kashmir. Once an ‘atmosphere of trust’ is established and both countries have friendly and cordial relations they would be perhaps in a better position to resolve the Kashmir dispute. 

Kashmir is a political issue and it needs to be settled that way. The armed struggle cannot solve the problem. Zardari’s statement only underlines that he feels that a new initiative is needed to break the logjam and to take the relations to a stage of such confidence-building that the fear factor diminishes from both angles. When I asked Mr. Siraj al-Din alias Mir Daud, a prominent Kashmiri leader and representative of JKLF (Yasin Malik group), about his point of view on the remarks of Zardari he said that Zardari has described a reality because friendship and good environment are needed to solve the disputes but both the countries should negotiate over Kashmir issue as well for good relationship.

There are many formulae and roadmaps on Kashmir coming from both local stakeholders and world renowned experts and strategic thinkers like;

·         “Joint control or joint management of Kashmir”. Under this formula India and Pakistan could still work out parameters for trade, commerce, water resources and tourism control across the LoC.

·         Let the LoC being made irrelevant and it be converted into a line of peace and prosperity with free movement of people, and trade from either side.

·         Four point formula of president Musharraf.

·         European Union reports.

·         UN resolutions as both Pakistan and India agreed to have the UN intervention and the plebiscite - as stated in the 1948 UNSC resolution.

·         People’s Conference 248-page roadmap titled “Achievable Nationhood” for peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

·         Special economic zone for the divided region along the lines of Switzerland and Channel Islands.

·         Kashmiri separatists get boost from Kosovo independence. They call on international community to play a role to resolve Kashmir issue on Kosovo-model.

The proposals that come from Pakistani side are a big shift in Kashmir policy of Pakistan. These proposals are also a shift from the views of the people of Kashmir who have demanded liberation and self-determination and want a solution according to the UN resolution. And this kind of flexible approach or shift in the policy of Pakistan has always been viewed as weakness by India; even now India is not ready to consider Kashmir as a dispute but considers it an integral part of India. And according to Kashmiri leaders India never demonstrated sincerity in resolving the Kashmir dispute.

Mr. Siraj al-Din alias Mir Daud, while responding to these proposals, said: “Solution of Kashmir issue is already there and we don’t need to find the roadmaps or proposals to solve the issue because the right of self-determination which has been given by the United Nations and upon which India and Pakistan have also done their signature should be given to the Kashmiri people unconditionally like the other slaved nations.

Indian Prime Minister Jawahir Lal Nehru had promised on different forums that the Kashmiri people can decide their future through the right of self-determination and Quaid-e-Azam had also declared that Kashmiri people have right to decide of their future with Pakistan or India as the other states of sub-continent had used their right. So the Kashmiri people want that the promises of self-determination should be followed. No person, party, or a government can solve the Kashmir issue without the recognition of Kashmiris as a vital party to the dispute and nor they can decide the Kashmir dispute against the will of Kashmiris. Both India and Pakistan need to withdraw from Kashmir and let the Kashmiri people decide themselves about their future.”

The dialogue process between two countries despite its failures and sluggishness should persist. But to make the best use of this window of opportunity the two countries will have to take some bold steps.

There is a need for both countries to provide a forum for thinkers, scholars, journalists and politicians to meet and discuss the Kashmir issue in a fair and free atmosphere and then to make their suggestions public. Most importantly, there is a need to engage those parties and groups representing the people of Kashmir from both the Pakistani and Indian sides to help seek a solution. Nonetheless, there is still need to obtain consensus from the people of India and Pakistan before their leaders commence the talks for the betterment of the people who have suffered a lot.

Everyone should accept Kashmir as a tripartite issue because it was also accepted by UN and according to UN it has three parties i.e. India, Pakistan and Kashmiris.

Pakistan and India reciprocated certain Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) which helped to establish friendly relations between the two countries and there should be Kashmir specific CBMs.

It should be borne clear in mind that any deadlock situation will increase violence in the valley that will ultimately affect the region and lead to the spread of the conflict.