Gurvir Singh Kahlon
Ever since the Indian government took the bold and historic step of abrogating Article 370, in Jammu and Kashmir, under the provisions of the Indian Constitution and with overwhelming majority in both houses of Parliament, Pakistan has been stumped, surprised and rattled. The only phrase that Pakistan can squeak, albeit with discomfiture, is that Kashmir is in a state of 'perpetual lockdown'.
Nothing could be farther from the truth, and truth has never been the forte of Pakistan, because a country that refuses to own up and acknowledge its own soldiers has no lien on legitimacy. Even the rightful last rites had been denied to fallen Pakistani soldiers by refusing to take back their mortal remains despite overwhelming evidence and acknowledgement to the contrary, as experienced by India in the aftermath of Kargil operations.
Certain precautionary measures, in the form of selective application of Section 144, were implemented by the administration in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 on 05 Aug 2019. This was done primarily to maintain law and order, prevent damage to government and personal property and more importantly to avoid any harm or grievous injury to the locals. The mobile and internet connectivity were initially suspended on an evaluated basis to prevent inimical elements, based in Pakistan, from inflaming passions and vitiating the atmosphere through planned acts of violence and terror. Preventive detentions of some political leaders and other known trouble creators was also resorted to in order to ensure peace and calm prevailed and normal life and routine continued unhindered. Since the establishment in Pakistan had been literally caught with its pants down; the only reaction it could muster was that Kashmir was under lockdown and continues to remain so.
It is ironical that large parts of Pakistan, especially Balochistan, continue to remain under virtual lockdown with regular disappearances and eliminations of prominent Baloch leaders and the country continues to profess the narrative on Kashmir. Pakistan Army has been accused of widespread human rights violations in its crackdown in Balochistan where violence continues unabated. Balochistan is of immense geo-strategic importance and is rich in natural resources. It's the country's largest province in size but the least populated and has been gripped by an insurgency since Pakistan's birth. Majority of the political opposition in Pakistan has been hounded and incapacitated by the government instigated actions of the unfettered National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Yet Pakistan has the gumption to peddle the story that Kashmir remains in a state of lockdown. What more can be expected of a country which has its economy in ruins and is surviving on bailout packages from all-weather friend's. Even Saudi Arabia has retracted the economic largess extended to Pakistan on account of certain reckless statements made by foreign minister of the country. Even amongst the Muslim Ummah; only Turkey and Malaysia are favorably inclined towards Pakistan as its diplomatic isolation amongst the world community is complete.
Whilst Pakistan goes through its own throes and tribulations, life is almost back to normal in Kashmir. The markets are up and running, political leaders, barring are a few, have been released from their preventive detention, developmental activities are on an upswing and political activity has started picking up traction. The internet services have been restored long time back and have graduated to better services being extended in a progressive and gradual manner. This back to near normalcy has rattled Pakistan even more since its atrocities in Kashmir narrative has no takers worldwide except for the few countries mentioned earlier.
The internal problems of Pakistan remain unsettled and are exacerbated and accentuated by the problems of lack of governance and rampant corruption in the administration. There are ongoing attempts to push more terrorists across the Line of Control and the International Border in order to escalate the violence in Kashmir. These attempts have been successfully thwarted by the Indian security forces and the intelligence agencies working in synergy and cohesion. This continuous and relentless yet ineffective ranting about Kashmir by Pakistan is a sine quo non which is quintessential to turn attention away from the internal dissension in the country and also keep the clinging onto the proverbial straw of showing solidarity with Kashmir as if to convey that the misplaced notion of Azadi in Kashmir remains relevant.
One needs to ponder and wonder aloud whether 'Azad Kashmir is really Azad?' The lack of development in the region, demographic changes heralded by influx of Punjabis, poor literacy rate, flagging economy and poor indices of general quality of life are all pointers to the kind of Azadi that Azad Kashmir has been gifted with by Pakistan. Even UNHDR 2019 report states that the country (Pakistan) is a notch away from slipping into club of nations with very low human development.
As Pakistan stares down the barrel, it finds that Kashmir has not resonated with the world at large as a just cause to be indulged in. The unending rant about lockdown in Kashmir is a feeble attempt by it to remain relevant to the Azad Kashmir slogan it championed at the time of partition. But times have changed, the dynamics both internally and externally have changed yet it remains like an ostrich with its head stuck in the sands of time. Those who don't change with the times will never progress and see the light at the end of the tunnel. India has already endured all that Pakistan could rankle and rant about and is emerging stronger by the day with greater support and acceptance in the world community. Kashmir too is experiencing the winds of positive change and will emerge from the existing situation as a progressive, dynamic and vibrant region of India. Notwithstanding these realities Pakistan will continue to rant and rave about lockdown in Kashmir because it has nothing better to offer to its own countrymen.
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