Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute sharing concerns of three Asian giants China , Pakistan and India. This territorial dispute is most reflected in Indian occupied Kashmir. The instrument of accession and the events followed thereafter eroded the initial agreement of Plebiscite. Although UNSC resolved the dispute in accordance with UN supervised Plebiscite but the non seriousness of Indian establishment in Delhi has subverted whole story to another extreme end. The initial war in 1947 paved way to separation of POK from Indian control and the capturing of Aksai Chin reduced the territory under Indian hands to mere 45% of required area. What lies at the core of matter is the Breach of trust and promise at the hands of Indian establishment. P M Nehru offered Plebiscite internally in Lal Chowk and externally on UNSC platform which is yet to materialize. The armed struggle waged later in 90’s is the manifestation of this arrogance by subsequent central governments to not accord due respect to UNSC’s back to back resolutions. This struggle intensified in 90’s decade and took thousands of innocent civilians. And the spree of killings is gaining momentum with growing indigenous support for militants in numbers. The Regional divide of North and South Kashmir is more extreme in this dimension. South Kashmir is harbouring a magnetic resonance for militancy driven conflict resolution. The Religious flavour added through fierce speeches and mobilization of social media has inseminated amplified rapport in the masses. The recent incidences of kidnapping or abduction on either side are but a continuation of widespread outreach and presence of militants in south Kashmir. The Indian security forces as per reports and allegations of relatives have took job of vandalisation of militants home’s into hands. As per recent clips the houses were set to ablaze and turned into ashes during night raids and cordons. And arrest of the parents of some top ranked militants including Riyaz Naiko father is also filling the paper headlines. This strategy gave fillip to tit for tat approach and the process is on.
There’s a recent historical base present for today’s crisis. The post Burhan period has dramatically reformed the approach of armed struggle waged way back in 90’s. The most sensitive aspect of the present militancy is rising trend of domestic support in internal recruitment as well as mass support for activities. This trend is aptly supported by innovative soft strategic counter of militants. This narrative has been correlated with Religious duty of safeguarding Islam in Particular and Kashmir in General. The Religious fervour and zeal came with awareness and spreading of Islamic knowledge in nook and cranny of Kashmir. The follow up of explanation to any episode or activity performed by militants through social media clips has attracted them a sea of following. Therefore what is seen today in south Kashmir is the parallel ruling with daylight speeches of militant commanders and participation in aftermath funerals of any militant’s cremation ceremony. The outcome of whole this entangle is the failing extremist strategy of security forces through operation All Out. Although the security forces makes tall claims but the recent episodes of involving innocent families speaks for itself. The arrest of families of militants who are often seen wailing over recruitment of their wards into rebel ranks is worrisome. We have most often seen the video clips of families requesting their wards to shun violence and return home. However this innocence is soon forgotten in the power barricades of security forces who indulge in harsh pressure tactic through arrest and vandalism. In this way the property of worth lakhs is burnt to ashes in blinks of eye. Does AFSPA support the strategy? Are security forces legitimate in their actions? The vanadalisatiom of Azad Malik’s house in Arwani Bijbehara shudders once consciousness when seen through the prism of humanity and law of civilised world. Article 51 directs state to owe abidance to international peace and international law. Then Kashmir shall have been staved off from Dec.10th 1948 declaration. Is it so?
On the other hand Militants have came with strategic counter this time through kidnapping of relatives of police personnel from different parts of Kashmir. Thereafter the videos released appealed to S P Vaid to keep families aloof from conflict. However Operational commander himself in the audio tape elaborated the step taken in aftermath of his father’s arrest and sent a stern warning message to police personnel. Although the militants explained and defended their action on grounds of tit for tat but the step is wholly un-islamic and unworthy on similar grounds as that of security forces. The relatives of police personnel have far off connection with duties performed by their wards on ground. It is illogical to believe that parents would encourage their wards to peep finger into conflict whose debt return is to be paid with life only. Therefore to include these innocent families in counter pressure tactic cannot be defended with Islamic jurisprudence and Principles also not to talk of legitimacy in terms of law. On this spree of arrests and counter kidnapping various criticism statements from senior leaders in mainstream are welcome. However the mere condemnation isn’t going to bear fruits. This Strategic counter posed by militants should not be taken lightly by establishment in New Delhi and state government in SGR. It’s an unearthed reality that South Kashmir is receding ground from hold on of security forces to militants. The kidnapping spree has proven the widespread outreach and presence of militants in nook and cranny of south Kashmir. In the Audio clip Commander cautioned with stern attachment that “we also possess powers to make your families unsafe “. He further went on “we can’t keep a person alive for long, our only solution thereafter would be death”. But the tragedy of whole complexity is the repetition of past tactics and strategy by New Delhi. The heinous design of including families is unworthy for modern society. It’s to be noted that when constitution grants Right to Vote for all with 18 years of age through recognition of mature faculty in man, the decision of Rebels rank should also be shouldered on the rebels themselves. As put up by Former CM Mehbooba Mufti”The families shall not be included in the situation they hardly control “. As Babar Qadri praised about un-harming abductees attitude of militants and said “ it is unheard of in other regions but the onus lies on mainstream to find solution by changing tactic”. The tug of war started after 2016 has failed to put full stop rather it helped the design of rebels to peep further and make inroads in social solidarity. Therefore strategy of Violence is to be forgotten with immediate Political steps with inclusion of Pakistan for any peaceful outcome.
As far as conflict is concerned the armed fight is more extreme today whose example isn’t found even in grave situation of 90’s. The endangering phase of people Vs people and family Vs family may put the whole Kashmir in civil war abuse. The fire and furry that civil war in Syria spread doesn’t comes to either one’s mind when such activities are planned and implemented. Almost all the Human rights declarations signed so far have included all the people without arms as innocent barring their relationship with conflict. The onus lies on the people from either side to look deeper into the issue and strategize actions accordingly. The arrest of relatives of militants and subsequent kidnapping isn’t going to help anyone. Both sections belong to Kashmir. They both are part of blood of valley. They live and die here. They are inalienable part of our society. Therefore their rights, values and dignity should be accorded a significant place among the planned Strategies. In this direction the onus lies on state to prove that its actions are legitimate taken for improvisation of law and order. These activities for sure would only worsen the prevailed conflict. The Riyaz Naiko’s one of statement that “let the fight be Gun Vs Gun and Rebel Vs Soldier not family Vs family” is welcome. Unless and until the activities on either side are critically analysed through vision of “Eye for an Eye will make whole world blind” the present course isn’t going to change the track in near future. The smaller but perfect pie is preferable over larger but imperfect one. The Operation All out failed to keep the youth away from militancy. It as per analysis put the derailed train on track through inclusion of intellectual layer like Mufti’s, Hafiz Quran, Drs, professors, Research Scholars, Engineers et all in the ranks. This wind proved the Islamic principle and Gandhi’s thought true with Reconciliation as most reliable weapon in the conflict resolution. The speech of Modi at Republic Day function raised hope for resolution of decade’s old conflict, but the question of its implementation is in shambles. The new establishment in Pakistan also gave aesopian statement to resume the dialogue on Kashmir. The unique statement of Pakistan Human rights Minister Dr Mazhari “ we have prepared a draft for resolution which will be brought to public in near future” is welcome. The whole Kashmir awaits That fresh start ends with “Once for all resolution” lest we should fail to keep civil war at arm’s length. We all agree about staving off Kashmir from this horrific future.
Shahid Majeed Mir can be reached at mirshahid363@gmail.com
