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Powell Sets-off to Peace-Mission with Sanguine Float
by
Mumtaz Hamid Rao
True to my hunch, the US
Secretary of State, Colin Powell has set off for home after yet another
sortie to the South Asian region – by and large - without a
‘result-oriented’ upshot, he had envisioned prior to touching the tarmacs
of New Delhi and Islamabad – most explicitly - in the wake of snags due to
despot Indian posture that has – by now – sent abode every stalwart of the
influential world with a torment visage.
While Powell have had
‘in-depth negotiations’ with President, General Pervez Musharraf during
his a day-long stay in Pakistan Sunday, each pragmatic mind had guessed
an elfin realization of his mission for peace in the region – before his
visit to India a day earlier - in the light of a report, circulated by
the Online news agency that the Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari
Vajpayee ‘ will not be meeting Powell’ who was on a specific voyage to
de-escalate the perilous scenario, surfaced due to an eyeball-to-eyeball
standoff by the Armed Forces of the two nuke-neighbours, overcastting the
global horizons with a catastrophic peril. Such a course denoted that
India ‘is still
arrogant for a dialogue with Pakistan to sort out issues – with the
Kashmir dispute atop - to avert a potential skirmish, which – if begins –
shall trek beyond oceanic.
Although ‘a break-through’
was being dreamed of by some diplomatic spheres, which was ought to be
inferred with factual perceptions. Prima facie, it seemed to be ‘a wishful
notion’ in the wake of the ferocious belligerence of the New Delhi
warlords, who are deteriorating the situation through one ploy or the
other. So it ensued in the same fashion.
On the other hand,
Pakistan’s response has always been measured by self-regulating observers
as ‘ supportive, encouraging , positive and upright’ – most overtly – due
to the globally-acknowledged reality that Islamabad has always opted for
the resumption of a meaningful dialogue with New Delhi to solve the longed
issues – with the core Kashmir dispute atop - anytime, anywhere and at
any level ‘ in the best interest of a billion-plus populace and to ensure
a stable peace in the South Asian region.
To attain this logical
intent, it is indispensable that India should – at the outset – pull its
troops, amassed - without any rationale - from the borders and the LoC in
Kashmir and put them onto the peacetime locations. It has to be an
instantaneous step, to be followed by the initiation of a momentous
discourse. India shall have to eschew groundless pretexts, which have been
a key font of a horrendous state of affairs. New Delhi’s antagonistic
mind-set has already made the recent visit of the British Foreign
Secretary, Jack Straw - who came to this region with a joint memo from
almost 492 British MPs – a failure, beneath the frolicsome pretext of
‘cross border terrorism’ which, the entire pragmatic world knows does not
exist at all. It is apparent from the fact that amid! st the deployment of
almost point seven million armed troops in the India-held Kashmir, even an
ante can not cross over the LoC what to talk of stepping into the alluring
Himalayan state of human specie. No doubt the gallant people in IHK are
engaged in an indigenous scuffle to seek their right of
self-determination, in line with the United Nations resolutions, adopted
unanimously 54-years ago.
This – through no yardstick
– can be termed as ‘terrorism’ because it is a fight against usurpers,
invaders and aggressors who opened a ‘Pandora’s box’ for the guiltless
people of the Jammu and Kashmir state through the hideous act of armed
infringement, neglecting the aspirations of Kashmiris who had resolved to
link their destiny with Pakistan the historic Srinagar declaration on July
the 19th in 1947 with one-voice. !
One could simply hope that
Colin Powell’s visit may yield some tangible results ‘if India accepts the
bona fide plea for a dialogue instead of opting for the wicked war
hysteria.’ The only feasible mode for the accomplishment of
Powell’s-voyage-for peace could have been to make India realize even to
the extent of coercing it to come to table of talks, as has been – time
and again – truthfully projected by Pakistan to evaporate the perilous
course. Mr. Powell can - beyond doubt -do so, especially in the light of
a ground-reality that the United States has gained a distinctive and
peculiar status after Nine -Eleven whereby it can put the Vajpayee plus
Advani-led extremist-cum-terrorist India onto a astute path by taking sou
moto cognizance of the state terrorism, let loose by Indians on the
unaided people of IHK as well as their malicious blitz towards the
minorities – most noticeably the Muslims, the Christians , the Sikhs and
the low-cast Hindus - on their own soil, very well insight to the
peace-loving and realistic world. Unless the Indian hostile mine-set is
altered, every exertion for peace in South Asia shall result into nothing
except a nightmare for the humanity all around. May be Powell makes
another trip to South Asia with all such facets in mind to make his next
mission a ‘majestic triumph?’
The French Foreign
Minister, Dominique de Villepin is also expected to visit next week in a
swing to ease tension in the region. This will be the first trip to South
Asia by De Villepin, since taking the reins at Quai d’Orsay, the venue of
the French foreign ministry. The frequent trips by ‘the men who matter
‘in the world today – especially the United States, with whom Pakistan has
elite ties - validate the veracity that the comity of nations is -
likewise - fretful over the present settings in South Asia. Hence it is
mandatory for them to take rock-hard steps to ward off a swelling brawl.
None shall raise eye-brows even if they inflict drastic sanctions against
India, now fully exposed for its arrogance, narcissism and hostilities.
Unless this retort is pursued, peace in the region – in meticulous and
around the globe in all-encompassing – shall stay nightmarish with awful
risks, the entire onus of which shall rest with India alone.
The author is a noted journalist, political analyst and ex-Director News Pakistan TV.
Source:
by courtesy & © 2002 Mumtaz Hamid Rao
by the same
author:
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