A Matchless Poise

Amid a face-to-face contact-“hallmarked by unique style of seeking the Kashmiris into confidence on the most up-to-date peace overtures for a robust peace in South Asia, Pakistan has-“eventually-“accomplished a crammed n’ concrete mandate from the chivalrous natives of the charismatic Himalayan State.

With an outright pledge that Kashmir will remain the focal point in any Indo-Pak talks, Kashmiri leaders-“at the week-end-“rayed a go-ahead gesture to President General Pervez Musharraf to parley a settlement with India on Kashmir-“in whatever mode, he deems apposite, of-course with ground-realities as the nucleus of his vision vis-à-vis this volatile issue-“posing perils to the global serenity.

The President-“in return-“reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolute, solid and steadfast commitment to the cause of Kashmir and said ‘it is central for a durable peace in South Asia’.

Speaking to an assemblage of Kashmiri leaders-“who also included the apex leader, Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, a fabulous and fêted name-“indexed in the history of struggle for freedom in Jammu n’ Kashmir as an imposing n’ inspiring soul-“Musharraf reiterated that Pakistan has a principled stand on Kashmir.

‘Nobody can coerce Pakistan into giving up Kashmir as country’s support for Kashmiris remains resolute’, he remarked by asking India ‘to show flexibility for resolving the dispute with amity’.

Whereas, Pakistan has aired its pragmatic viewpoint-“crystal clear, it is now up to the opinion-makers in India to galvanize a conducive environ to persuade their supercilious leaders to enter into a dialogue process with Pakistan-“if not for the affluence of India’s billion-plus populous-“at least for peace in the region.

Perceptibly, the erudite class is fully acquainted with the truth that comity of nations is engrossed with a zest for peace in South Asia n’ even the ‘super powers’-“like the United States and European Union-“stand focused for an early resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

It’s ironic that while Pakistan has taken a series of tangible steps to craft conditions positive for resumption of dialogue to address Kashmir and other longed issues with India, New Delhi is still maintaining an adamant posture and has not responded in an equivalent way.

Virtually, India has wickedly failed to even express its compliance to enter into a dialogue with Pakistan so far, while President Musharraf has gone to the extent of-“even offering a compromise with flexibility-“by the two nuke-neighbors.

In fact, signals of fabulous concessions to generate amity with India, Pakistan has recently set off yet another proffer vis-à-vis Kashmir, which has been the nucleus symbol of irritants between the two nuke-neighbors for the last five-n’-a-half decades.

Towards this facet, the text of President Musharraf’s interview with a British news agency has mottled n’ disseminated -” around the global Atlas -” with mixed feedback from Annan of the United Nations, Armitage of USA -” to Atique of Kashmir.

The top Indian headship-“with its Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee and his aficionado LK Advani-“are, however still mute n’ mum as none of the two have so far come out with an eloquent reaction. They seem to be in a silhouette of yawning thinking or confronted with a complex course as by accepting President Musharraf’s proposal for flexibility, India shall have to seize at-once its groundless typical rhetoric that the disputed state of Jammu n’ Kashmir was its ‘integral part’. If so happens, it will be a great diplomatic achievement for Pakistan.

Yet, there has been a sharp n’ swift retort in Pakistan n’ in the Kashmiri circles on both sides of the Line of Control [LoC] in the charismatic Himalayan State.

Whereas some have endorsed Musharraf’s pragmatic point of view, phrasing it as the acknowledgement of ‘ground realities’ as their podium of vision, the others have beamed their outlook that they would-“in no way-“go along such a plea.

Whatever the upshot of the President’s avowal may-“eventually-“surface, it appears that he has taken a bold step to bring the radical Indian leadership to the table of talks, an imperative point, New Delhi has-“by now-“been evading with one hideous ploy or the other.

Even with a changed universal scenario-“meticulously due to the post-Nine/Eleven episode-“which has shrunk the role of the United Nations, opening vistas for the United States to behave as the solo master of world’s destiny, Musharraf has always voiced the aspirations of Kashmiris-“in an unequivocal style, overtly supporting their birth right of self-determination, as has been mandated by the world body time n’ again.

With this actuality, it is hard to believe that the President would ever let down the nation as he has been and is the firm promoter of peace in South Asia-“yet with dignity n’ honour-“as its pedestal. Prima facie, he can’t be coerced or dictated by any power-“even if its’ a mightier-one like the United States-“towards his perceptions of Pakistan’s national interests-“wherein the solution of the Kashmir issue stands atop. Hence, we are ought to have a reliance in his vision-“explicitly-“in the wake of his zest for bringing the despotic era, unleashed by India in occupied Kashmir-“to an eternal end.

With this realism, it would be rather asymmetrical n’ lop-sided to over-react on the President’s interview-“by lifting eyebrows on his patriotic intents-“as the time ahead shall make every feature, as clear as crystal.

Now when Pakistan is cruising through the most significant phase of its history-“with atypical settings-“specifically due the hostilities, being posed by a couple of its neighbors-“of-course with India atop, it is vital that everyone eschews ‘opposition for the sake of opposition’. Instead, the actualities are needed to be evaluated with a down-to-earth mindset.

Simultaneously, it is an apposite time for President Musharraf to attest that his latest perspective is-“in no way-“a sudden 180-degree shift in Pakistan’s principled policy, for which the country has suffered a lot during the last over half a century.

Such an appraisal would evaporate loads of perceptible dilemmas as well as several ramifications. Else it will give the impression that we are conceding too much to India in return for almost nothing.

The latest outburst of AB Vajpayee that ‘any talks with Pakistani leaders on, what he tells as ‘the bilateral issues’ during his visit for the SAARC summit would, as he says ‘shall be on the condition that it ends [the so-called] cross-border terrorism and dismantles terrorist infrastructure and training camps on its soil’ stands as an authentic testimoney towards India’s antognistic outlook.

With a vicious n’ evil ploy, based on setting aside the basic hazrad in harmonious ties between the two countries, the Kashmir Issue, Vajpayee unfolded his radical intent on Tuesday with the words that ‘during his visit to Pakistan for the SAARC summit, he would be willing to discuss steps to increase trade and economic ties’.

Despite enormous gestures of goodwill for peace in South Asia by Pakistan, an egocentric Vajpayee scorned his cantankerous acuteness with the mischievous words: ‘Pakistan should also put an end to the feeling of enmity towards India and work towards normalizing relations’. Yet he did not elucidate-“with any logic-“his blurred n’ vague views-“except once again airing a crooked n’ repugnant remark.

To bear in mind, Pakistan has already proclaimed a number of concessions for India-“such as ceasefire on LoC, moves to increase bilateral trade and accelerating the SAARC processes which might give India an apparent edge in economic and trade terms but in liue of it, we could extract only what India had done unilaterally after the so-called attack on its Parliament, two years ago.

At the same time, India is not only obstinate in getting into a momentous n’ meaningful dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all issues including the longed dispute of Jammu and Kashmir but also persists-“adamantly-“with its ferocious n’ wicked plans to fence the LoC and construct Bagliar power project to the detriment of Pakistan’s interests. Yet, it has to be kept in mind that Pakistan is one of the parties to the conflict and the key party, for sure are Kashmiris.

With this insight, it would have been most obligatory if Pakistan’s apex leadership have had taken the Kashmiri leadership into confidence before airing such a major and extraordinary decision. Treating the time as ripe, the President opted for such a measure.

To avert all types of qualms, it would be apt if a constant n’ consistent series of meetings with top political leaders of Pakistan in the Parliament or outside its two Houses, even those politicians who are in exile, one way or the other n’-“irrespective of one’s leaning towards a specific party or alliance-“with Kashmiris atop is set off at-once to develop a consensus on-“‘what to do next’-“under the current circumstances, articulated by the changed global milieu.

A skirting or elusion from such a modus operandi would result into nothing-“except a state of perplexity-“which Pakistan can, in no way afford due to manifold raison d’être, more markedly due to its shadowy political situations, wherein a tug of war for power perseveres as an inexorable icon ever since the egalitarian system took re-birth as a follow-up of the October-10 polls-“last year.

The jarring n’ raucous character of certain segments of the opposition-“with the ongoing protest rallies-“against litigious issues like the Legal Framework Order-“LFO manifests this veracity.

On the other hand, the Jamali-led government, which could not carry out even a single noteworthy legislation, visibly because of the inauspicious hullabaloo n’ pandemonium-like episodes in the House-“also seems glued with its own angle of prudence.

Such a backdrop makes it all the more essential that a flexible approach is opted-“both by the government n’ the opposition-“to evolve a reciprocal harmony on the political horizons of Pakistan-“most exclusively on topics like the jugular vein of the nation, Kashmir to thwart every maneuver of the foe-“India.

As a sovereign domain, we ought not to feel fretful on the notions n’ tempers of any power-“even if it is a super-one-“as the national interests of Pakistan are much more vital than the ‘aspires’ of any-one else with any stature-“dwelling beyond oceanic.

At the same time, we feel optimistic that Pakistan’s top leadership shall continue to stay in frequent touch with the bona fide leadership of Kashmiris-“like the ruling AJK party, the Jammu n’ Kashmir Muslim Conference as well as the APHC, the sincere n’ eloquent voice of the people-“facing an awful n’ atrocious scenario due to India’s ferocity in IHK to evaluate the jerky settings-“for evolving requisite strategies to thwart all maneuvers of the New Delhi warlords.

Such a course shall have to be articulated-” with a cautious n’ vigilant approach-“as a few politicians-“even in some Kashmiri enclosures are still relentless in their rhetoric, ‘opposition for the sake of opposition’.

Even when their insight does not go along with their supreme leader(s)-“such ‘idols of polity’ are-“invariably-“remain affixed with a savor to see them breathing for their electorate-“at every cost, even if it negates their party-stance n’ more explicitly even it is a lavish n’ bountiful exercise n’ episode.

Hence, such soul(s) are required to be kept away from every sincere n’ vital track-“at least till the time they eschew their fat, fleshy, corpulent n’ egotistical mindset.