Why Pakistan and the groups supported by it in Europe are reacting so feverishly to the European Union report on Kashmir? Why have they put everything on stake to criticize it, condemn it and demand as many as 455 amendments to make the resolution based on the report “balanced”? Surely, differences in perception could lead to some objections. And as the author of the report Ms. Emma Nicholson herself points out “anything on this issue is bound to be controversial because this is a controversial issue.” But then there are ways to express dissent.
Why should the author, who is a respected member of European Parliament, holding a track record of competence to produce good reports for the EU in the past, be ridiculed just because she did not say things that could be music to Pakistan’s ears! Why political parties, groups, and religious places should be activated to a chorus of condemnation! Let us not forget that it is because of Emma’s eminence that the EU assigned her the work of formulating the report on Kashmir.
The political leadership in Pakistan has launched a crusade describing the report as “fundamentally flawed” and “not a true reflection of the current situation in Kashmir “.
What has the report said, after all, which has been so offending to Pakistan. It says “continuing calls for a plebiscite on the final status of Jammu and Kashmir are wholly out of step with the needs of the local people and thus damaging to their interests”. Is this not what other world leaders, including the former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, too have already said? Didn’t Annan say that UN resolutions on Kashmir have become redundant due to passage of time and thus can not be implemented now?
The report criticises the democracy deficit in Pakistan and the Human Rights situation in Pakistan administered parts of Kashmir. Take a reality check. Pakistan has been ruled by the military dictators more or less since it became independent in 1947. Even during the brief time civilians ruled the country, it was the army that had actually called the shots prompting cynics to remark that army along with America and Allah decide the destiny of Pakistan.
Is not the world aware of the lack of democracy in POK and gross Human Rights violations taking place there? If that is the case what is wrong in Nicholson regretting that “Pakistan has consistently failed to fulfil its obligations to introduce meaningful and representative structures” in the part of Jammu and Kashmir under its occupation. Or is it her appreciation of the democracy in India that has irked Pakistan?
Even before the EU report, two recent reports by the Human Rights Watch Group criticized human rights violations by Pakistan-backed militant groups in POK. They highlighted Pakistan’s role in providing training and other support to these groups. Why was there no such hullabaloo a then?
The 10- page EU report “deeply regrets that lack of national political will to address basic needs, political participation and the rule of law in AJK”. The way Pakistan handled the post-earth quake situation in Occupied Kashmir has already come in for severe criticism by the world at large. Why get annoyed now!
The report talks of Pakistan’s National Parliament which has no representation either of women or men living in POK. Tragically, that is the case. Why resent it then!
There may be some other small irritants for Pakistan in the report and it has the right to point these out and lobby for support. But lobbying is one thing and trying to put pressure by indulging in political blackmailing is another thing. Unfortunately, that is what Pakistan and groups supported by it in Europe are doing.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner in London Dr. Maliha Lodhi has said that the report does not seem to help the peace process between Pakistan and India. What makes her think so is not clear. In any case, is the way Pakistan is reacting to the report going to help the peace process?
Before formulating the report, Emma Nicholson is said to have met about 800 persons belonging to different walks of life. They include Prime Ministers, presidents, diplomats, members of parliament, leaders from Kashmir, political workers, human rights activists, former militants, migrants and military experts. It appears that a number of individuals and groups are busy selling Kashmir to serve their own interests. No wonder then that the Head of the European Commission team Dr. Camara Gomes has described Pakistan’s criticism of the report as ridiculous.
Indian’s in the UK have urged the EU not to bow to pressure from Pakistan to amend the report. Several organizations have described Emma Nicholson’s labours as “an objective assessment of the poverty and lack of democracy in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the fate of one million Kashmiri Hindus, driven out of their homes by Pakistan backed militants”
Against this background it is important to take a realistic view of the Nicholson report, admit the ground realities, and take follow up measures to correct the situation. Allegations of prejudice will serve neither Pakistan nor any other country. Politicising a ground reality will only complicate the issue and put a spoke in the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan.
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