Bravo The Hague; What Next?
By the Editor

TAKING an instant cognizance of the callous onslaught of Israel, the International Court of Justice has eventually taken Tel Aviv to task by airing to the global its’ magnificent ruling whereby the Zionists have been directed to make evaporate the illicit barriers — erected by them along the West Bank.

Alike every peace-loving nation, Pakistan has also hailed the verdict with mammoth words of allure for the ICJ — which beamed its’ decree at The Hague — towards the week-end. No-doubt, amid this bold and audacious proclamation, the ICJ has upheld justice — though a bit delayed — yet certainly not denied.

Via a non-binding decision, the world court ruled the 700-kilometer [435-mile] barrier was a violation of international law and those parts that encroach on Palestinian territory should be dismantled. A pragmatic analysis would reveal that the dismantlement of the separation wall is the only legitimate course of action and would pave the way for the implementation of the quartet roadmap and remove several other roadblocks.

As is indexed in the recent epoch, the quartet which is made up of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia has been trying to promote a peaceful settlement of the gory conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

While disseminating our adore to all the apex Judges — including the one only — who opted to dither for the raison d'être best known to his soul and spirit, we wish to pin-point the anguish and agony of millions of the people of the Himalayan State of Jammu and Kashmir — amid a ray of hope that the apex Court shall take a suo moto notice of the ferocious acts of India along the Line of Control [LoC] — which is nothing except an awl line, as people of the State have never accepted its’ continuation, as was enshrined by the UN resolutions whereby it was phrased as cease-fire line for short-lived period — till the time Kashmiris decide their destiny — with a free will, free from all types of ploys and gambits like coercions, intimidations, blackmailing, threats or perils.

Its’ a paradoxical scenario that in place of fulfilling its’ categorical commitments on Kashmir, India has perfidiously started structuring a fencing — filled with mines and barbered wires — in a hideous bid to turn this transitory line into a ‘ceaseless line’ — a silhouette which is not only an insult of the world body — but also an outright negation of the decisive and bona fide aspires of the real owners of the State who wish — day-in and day-out — to make India quit their charismatic realm.

Though with elfin hopes — yet with an icon of optimism, as we move in the direction of resumption of dialogue with India, it is only helpful that we quietly clear the cobwebs that are a legacy of a past we better shed as good riddance.

Illogically, we have tended to be content moving in ruts, because we have lacked the courage to emerge out of the deceptive security of immobility. One such rut is the myth about the Line of Control. Practically, this line has no political import or status, hence no validity or relevance to any future dispensation. A dauntingly great deal remains to be discussed about the methodology of the discussions that lie ahead.

Amidst a clear-cut message, beamed by Pakistan — time and again — with a focus on realism that there can't be any relationship with India on any facet sans the settlement of the core issue of Kashmir [which always makes New Delhi 'upset' as and when this truthful voice emerges literally devastating the deceitful mentality of the Indian headship], a need for India to bend before the Atlas voice — Peace in South Asia — becomes all the more fundamental.

Nonetheless, if there is agreement on the basics of a solution to the Kashmir dispute, progress in search of a final settlement would be smooth and steady, if not exactly swift. In fact, any insistence on haste would be manifestly imprudent. Both sides are ought to bring a high-minded and big-hearted commitment to bear on the negotiations — if and when held in the times ahead. We cannot presume at this moment what exactly the solution would be. But we do know that only a fair or flaxen solution — with the dissolution of the illicit fencing of LoC — shall alone be sustainable — of-course with the sincere support of all parties concerned. In this milieu all concerned are the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir — as the first and foremost.

Only in the second position jointly stand the people of Pakistan and India. What all the parties concerned can agree upon straightaway is that whatever the solution, it has to be one that is seen by all concerned as just, fair and equitable — to all. When placed in the parameters of the principles set out above, the Line of Control ceases to have any relevance — whatsoever. As every sane historian would authenticate that this [LoC — which is inked as Ceasefire Line in the catalog of over a dozen UN resolutions [1948-157] — has not been drawn by the Kashmiri people. Nor can Pakistan or India claim to be its authors.

As a matter of fact, both Pakistan and India have, in so many ways, expressed subjection to maintain the inviolability of the Line of Control. India stands self-confessed as unable even to mount an effective guard on this so-called Line, though it has close to a million fully-equipped with dens of arms and arsenal — troops standing by. Once we settle down to talk earnestly about a future solution of the core dispute — of Kashmir, the Line of Control would simply fade out of all reckoning. That would be the moment to address surpassingly delicate and sensitive issues, intertwined with which is the peace of almost a billion n' half populace in this subcontinent — South Asia.

Virtually the Line of Control is no line; it controls nothing of significance or substance. Not only that a resolution — still preserved in the top index of the UN — makes it crystal clear that no bar — whatsoever — can be imposed on Kashmiris' mobility, as they were compelled by the India-backed ruthless n' tyrannical Dogra Hari Singh rule to leave their ancestral abode in 1947 and in a few follow-up years, taking refuge in Pakistan, the striking and salient 'Ceasefire Line Toor Doo' [break the Cease-fire Line] movement by the apex Kashmiri Leader, late Ch. Ghulam Abbas in 1958 [in Sikandar Mirza's regime] is still known to all world-over, which literally jolted the New Delhi warlords — as they have had no lawful mode or method to prevent it — in any style, specifically in view of the all ready — aired global voice from the UN podium.

Nehru felt a sigh of breath when Field Marshall Ayub Khan — by virtue of the then political scenario — came in power and in the long run convinced the fabulous n' dynamic voice of Kashmiris, the late Ch. Abbas to put his movement in abeyance for sometime as he [Ayub] would get the Kashmir Issue resolved in line with the aspirations of the dwellers of the fascinating Himalayan State. Factually, he [FM Ayub] did try through diverse means including via the Tashkant Summit — yet the narcissism of India persisted, which, prima facie exists even today.

On the one hand New Delhi speaks about 'zest and glamour for talks' yet on the other — amplifies rather magnifies the enormity of its brutalities on the innocent people of India-held Kashmir [IHK] with the advent of every dawn — applying one ploy or the other to get the realistic solution of the Issue belated. A statement by Sonia Gandhi-led Congress Party’s new Minister of State for External Affairs, whereby he came out the nauseating rhetoric of ‘Kashmir is the integral part of India’ — makes exposed, rather stripped India’s inside naughty motives, wicked contentions and cunning mindset — both vis-à-vis the Kashmir Issue as well as its ‘love for talks — with Pakistan.’

Hence New Delhi's 'zest for a dialogue' seems nothing beyond a trick to hoodwink to world. With mounting pressure from every sane nation n' more explicitly with the unfolding of the factual reports by world's human rights champions focusing 'the instant settlement of the core issue of Kashmir as the only way for ensuring a durable peace in South Asia to the eventual benefit of the globe' — India stands fully exposed — as naked as a natural reality.

The only n' best course left for it is to bow before the ground realities by eschewing typical ‘oratory’ like the so-called 'infiltration' as such a polluted state of mind of New Delhi has not only been rejected by Pakistan time n' again but simultaneously has been endorsed by every pragmatic nation the world-over.

Above all such vicious alleges of India have no significance before the focal party — the Kashmiris, who have never accepted a Line in any silhouette — may it be a Cease-fire Line or a Line of Control. They are right in their outlook — as the UN commitments on Kashmir fully endorse this veracity — as clear as the coherent and translucent as the waters of River Jehlum, with a basis of flickering helix-like Spring of Vaeri Nag, flanking the eye-catching and magnetic — Srinagar.

This will have to be accepted as an image of the Kashmiris’ mood as an accurate and perfect truth as their kick against the Indian invaders will continue to swell till the time the despotic manacles are splintered for all times to come.

Since, the commitments were overtly made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir by a powerful world body — the United Nations — it would thus become obligatory for the International Court of Justice [ICJ] — at The Hague to take instantaneous steps; for the immediate end of human rights violations in India held-Kashmir, flattening of the fence along the LoC, ensuring the formation of an environment wherein Kashmiris can express their will in a fluent way to determine their fate — in whatever style — they wish.

If justice can be extended to the people of Palestine — a greatly admired verdict, if East Timor can seek right of self-determination, if many more judgments can take the ICJ — a limb of the UN to zeniths of lofty titivations and prettifications — and if the Berlin Wall can stand vanish, what prevents or thwarts, an endeavor to keep the innocent people of Kashmir — to part away from their kin? If its’ Indian belligerence or arrogance — that, too can be set right — just with a stroke of pen at The Hague. Else, Kashmiris know, how to seek their birth right via an inexorable struggle, they are engaged-in, least uptight about India’s might — since decades — and even if India multiplies it with any digit of its’ pick.

Yet one hopes, that ICJ shall apply identical parameters towards the Kashmir cause, taking its’ elevated status to — still more premier echelon — by ensuring that justice is not delayed even for the realistic owners of the Himalayan State — in any demeanor. Reality stays — alive that the people of the fascinating State, can in no be denied of it — the justice at any cost, as they are in unison — till time without end.●