Pak women delegation launches tirade on Kashmir

KS Correspondent

NEW DELHI, May 12:

At the conclusion of the visit, the Pakistani women delegation and their Indian counterparts decided to launch "Kashmir interface" to "comprehend" the ground reality in the troubled state. As part of this exercise the Pakistan women will go to PoK and the Indian group would visit Valley. Mr Rajesh Pilot has agreed to "escort" the women members to streets and byelanes of Kashmir.

A panel discussion on "Indo-Pak relations at the crossroads", held on New Delhi, on May 3 revealed much about the secret mission behind the "goodwill" visit. Mrs Jehangir lobbied for dialogue with Mushraff. She said, "If India could talk to General Zia who was responsible for the breeding of Jehadi groups in Kashmir, then why not talk to Gen. Musharraf. Engaging Pakistan in talks will help. India’s refusal to talk engenders fears that it is preparing for war". It was an unwanton provocation that a country which has been fighting defensively a proxy war thrust on it would launch war.

Very cleverly, Asma Jehangir underplayed the erosion of democracy in Pakistan by saying "all is not well here too and "do not exonerate your govt. for violating rights." Forgetting that the worst victims of the proxy war were Hindus of J&K, Asma Jehangir minced no words in demonstrating where her sympathies lay. She fumed Pakistan could not turn a blind eye to "violation of human rights" in any part of the world whether it was Kosovo or Kashmir." Incidently, both Kosovo and Kashmir are predominantly Muslim-majority regions. She added that the people of Pakistan did not want war, but many of them had an emotional attachment with Kashmiris and Pakistan could not suppress their voice for the cause of Kashmir.

In her harangue, MS Jehangir blamed to Indian government for committing "atrocities" on innocent Kashmiris and said the problem would not have been there if human rights were not violated. She asked India to put "balm" on Kashmiris and said India needed to set its house in order and there was no reason why the government should be exonerated, if it erred.

Mrs Asma Jehangir’s views reflected clearly that this group was sponsored by General Musharraf. She gave enough hints that the purpose of her visit was that India should hold negotiations with the Pakistani military dictator. Her defence of Pak military regime was even more apologetic. She accused that Indian foreign policy was not "pro-people". What stunned Indian panelists was her painting a picture of helpless Pakistanis. She said they were unable to take action towards peace because of the "might of India on one side and the cruelty of militant groups on the other".

Another Pak delegate, MS Sartaz blamed India for adopting a rigid posture and pleaded for involving the people of Kashmir in negotiations.

Mr Kuldeep Nayar, MP, who was also a panelist, faced embarrassed, while suggesting a ceasefire on all activities for at least six months. The Pakistani delegate shifted the responsiblity of Initiating the process to RAW. Then Kuldeep Nayar replied Kashmir might only be a symptom, it was not the disease.