Entire media of India is criticizing and even making fun — of Neelam Irshad Sheikh a leader of Pakistan’s ruling ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’ (PTI) government who at a television news debate said “Taliban have said that they are with us and they will help us in [liberating] Kashmir.” — including at prominent print media https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/taliban-with-us-to-free-kashmir-from-india-pak-govt-leader-on-tv-news-debate-101629818453064.html .
To what extent the value system of India has degenerated can be gauged from Indian response to Neelam’s resolve which is born out of patriotism. Both India and Pakistan claim the entire J&K as their territory. Pakistan has tried many times in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 during Kargil to militarily snatch Indian side of J&K from India but India never tried so, not even once. This proves that (unlike India) Pakistan really considers the Indian side of J&K as its territory and is prepared to give lives & blood for it and that is what Neelam has said.
Pakistan came into existence in 1947 on the basis of two nation theory based on religion but Pakistan did not give lives & blood for Pakistan rather Britishers gave it to Pakistanis on the table. Whereas Taliban has gained Afghanistan through 20 years of war with the USA and its allies including NATO. Therefore the motivation of Taliban (and its militant Jihadis) for Islam will be much greater than the motivation of Pakistan (and its military) for retrieving Indian side of J&K (especially Muslim Kashmir) from India.
When on August 5, 2019 India amended Article 370 and repealed Article 35-A of the Constitution (which removed the special status of J&K which was meant to protect the demography of J&K and also to stop outsiders from purchasing land and landed properties in J&K) and bifurcated the State of J&K in two Union Territories, the Kashmiris expected Pakistan to do something (militarily) to oppose this action of Government of India (GoI). Even in Pakistani media it was discussed that the military of Pakistan has enjoyed special status and privileges since 1947 in Pakistan by taking the name of Kashmir but when time came (after August 5, 2019) it caved in.
Therefore Neelam represents the feeling of those Pakistanis who presently see an opportunity to ‘liberate Kashmir’ with the help of Taliban (who’s commitment to Islam is superior to the commitment of Pak military to Islam). Because in any war between India and (Pakistan + Afghanistan) for Kashmir, on both sides there will be nukes and the army in equal numbers. India has to keep some military at Chinese border whereas the 75,000 (as per Prez Biden) Taliban can easily govern Afghanistan and spare three hundred thousand (as per Prez Biden) trained security force of Afghanistan along with arms & ammunitions provided by the USA (which fled against Taliban) can be joined with Pak army (even if we do not add the Kashmir specific militant Jihadis and international militant Jihadis).
Moreover most of the local population of Kashmir is alienated especially after August 5, 2019 as Bangladeshis were alienated from Pakistan in 1971 hence Pakistanis like Neelam see a golden opportunity at the moment when Taliban victory in Afghanistan (against the USA & its allies including NATO) has motivated the entire Muslm community all over the world (and not merely in Afghanistan and Pakistan) in favor of militant Jihad for achieving justice to Muslim Ummah.
Therefore instead of criticizing or making fun of the sterling patriotism of Neelam, India should give-up its shameful and treacherous behavior of the last 74 years, rather should do the following:-
(i)- India should immediately give a time bound military ultimatum to Pakistan to help India (in getting these territories free from outsiders) for carrying out Plebiscite in Balochistan (the IoA of which was taken by Pakistan through military pressure) and in J&K as mandated (not merely by UN resolution but also) by ‘Instrument of Accession’ the IoA of J&K to India which reads as -[Consistently with their (GoI) policy that, in the case of any State where the issue of Accession has been the subject of dispute, the question of Accession Should be decided in accordance with the wishes of the people of the State, it is my Government’s wish that, as soon as law and order have been restored in Kashmir, and her soil cleared of the invader, the question of the State’s Accession should be settled by a reference to the people. Yours Sincerely Sd/- Mountbatten of Burma].
(ii)- (In order to eradicate the region from the poison of communalism which has caused many wars in the past and will cause more in future, if not rectified) India should immediately give a time bound military ultimatum to Pakistan and Bangladesh to grant ‘dual citizenship’ for about 160 million forcibly displaced during partition the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims (and their children).
Hem Raj Jain
(Writer is author of ‘Betrayal of Americanism’ and presently staying in Shakopee, MN, USA)
