Kashmir Erupts again
By Riaz Haq
CA
www.riazhaq.com
It seems that the only time-serious issues get any attention in New Delhi or Islamabad is when there is a major crisis. But, as soon as the crisis subsides, the issues are ignored or completely dropped. That's what seems to have happened during the last four years in South Asia when a golden opportunity to settle Kashmir presented itself. With armed Muslim groups in Kashmir dormant since the post-2004 thaw and President Musharraf of Pakistan eager to make concessions, the world saw an era of relative peace in Kashmir which has now been shattered again. It is clearly a missed opportunity in South Asia.
Land has been at the center of disputes and violence since times immemorial. So it is not surprising that the latest flare-up in Kashmir is about land. About 100 acres of land was appropriated by the Indian government on a mountain route leading to a Hindu shrine and given to a Hindu religious trust. This decision was seen by Muslims as an attempt to change the valley demographics and triggered massive protests in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. The decision was later rescinded, leading to counter protests in the Hindu-majority Jammu.
The latest media reports indicate that there have been dozens of civilian deaths. The massive unrest continues in spite of thousands of troops deployed in Srinagar and indefinite curfew imposed. Local media say 15 journalists were among those beaten by Indian police as they tried to cover the protest, despite having curfew passes. More violence is expected as protest leaders say this Monday's rally will go ahead despite the curfew. "They are scared of our peaceful but massive demonstrations for freedom," Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, one of Kashmir's main separatist leaders, told AFP.
In his December 2006 peace offensive, former President Musharraf had said that Pakistan could be willing to give up its claim to Kashmir if India agreed to a self-government plan for the disputed Himalayan region, according the Guardian newspaper. With Musharraf no longer at the helm and the present Pakistani leadership in disarray, it is not realistic to expect Islamabad to play any significant role in dousing the flames and start serious talks on Kashmir.
With the Indian parliamentary elections due soon, it is not clear whether Delhi would now be ready or serious about a positive movement on Kashmir, even if the leadership in Islamabad were able to engage again. Unfortunately, it seems that Kashmir will return to the bad old days for a while, at least until the leadership situation in both Delhi and Islamabad gets clear.
Pakistan Political Mess Emboldens Taliban
The coalition government in Pakistani has splintered and resultantly the Taliban have stepped up their brazen suicide bombings. Violent protests followed by Indian government crackdown in Kashmir are also making the headlines. This has happened hardly a week after President Musharraf's exit. Who will slay this fire-breathing monster? How will a sense of security and stability be restored for Pakistanis? How will rising tensions in Kashmir be handled? These are the questions that are begging for answers.
Islamabad Government
A powerful, competent and honest federal government in Islamabad is the first pre-requisite to bring about any semblance of good governance to solve the multi-faceted challenges of political instability, faltering economy, growing militancy, and rising tensions in Kashmir. With the strong and committed support of the Pakistani military for the present government, the first attribute of "powerful" is possible and seems likely to be achieved, in spite of a fractious parliament. However, being powerful is only one of three requirements for Islamabad to be effective. The second and third pre-requisites of competence and honesty will most likely be in short supply with Asif Ali Zardari as the choice of the PPP for the president, and Yousuf Raza Gillani as the prime minister.
Taliban Threat
The growing militancy by the Tehrik-e-Taliban in Pakistan is going to be a monumental challenge for both the government and the people of Pakistan. While a ban on the Taliban is a good start, it is no more than a token. As the world holds Messrs Zardari and Gillani responsible, the chances of success against the Taliban will really depend on whether the vast majority of Pakistanis stop being ambivalent about the Taliban and join the fight against them. The people of Pakistan must be persuaded that the Taliban perpetrating massive atrocities in the name of Islam are no friends of Islam, Muslims or Pakistan and they must be stopped, not for America's sake, but for the sake of Pakistan. The anti-American attitude in Pakistan must not be allowed to get in the way of fighting the terrorists who target innocent Pakistani civilians to achieve their nefarious political aims. Please read my post about the Taliban's atrocities to get the full picture of Taliban's ambitions, people's ambivalence and the ineptitude of our current leadership.
Economic Revival
Pakistan's economy has returned to the bad old days since the assumption of power by the current civilian government. It is of utmost importance that the Pakistan economy be revived to address the basic challenges of livelihood, food and energy. The best way to accomplish this task is to recruit a competent team of experts on economy and empower them to develop and carry out the economic agenda.
Asif Ali Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani are carrying a heavy burden. They must be supported by the people of Pakistan in dealing with the extraordinary challenges the nation faces today. It is also important they prove their critics wrong by slaying the four-headed monster trying to devour Pakistan. They must not let history repeat itself by letting down Pakistanis. The future of the Pakistani nation and the fate of democracy in Pakistan depends on how well they perform.
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