For nearly seven decades, nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India have been disputing the territorial status of a region that is an essential part of their founding identities. Pakistan and India’s vilification campaigns against each other over Kashmir have intensified in recent months, igniting an untamable fire. Kashmiris are caught in the middle of two narratives, neither of which is helpful to them. While Pakistan has propagated the idea that Kashmir wishes to join Pakistan, India maintains that Kashmiris are susceptible to terrorism, influenced by Pakistan. These competing narratives do not assuage India’s mistreatment of Kashmiris, which should be brought to the forefront. So long as Pakistan and India continue on an uncompromising and dangerous blame game path, the Kashmiri struggle will remain overlooked.
Recently, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called for an international probe into the human rights violations in Kashmir, where 105 people have have been killed in unrest and violence in recent weeks. But India appeared to be in no mood to cooperate. It declared it would deny access to the UN for any investigation, arguing that Pakistan has abused the rights of its own citizens in Balochistan. Kashmir is disputed territory and Pakistan’s meddling there cannot be accounted to the same as India meddling into Balochistan. Moreover, PM Modi, in his recent remarks at Kozhikode, not only said that Pakistan is the sole exporter of terrorism to the world, he also challenged Pakistan to go to war with India to see who could end poverty, unemployment and illiteracy first. But is this yet another attempt to mask India’s mistreatment of Kashmiris?
An explicit split in narrative has escalated the tension between Pakistan and India, which led to the recent Uri attack that killed 18 Indian soldiers and led to military build up along the LoC. On one hand is Pakistan’s narrative of Kashmir’s rebellion as a struggle for liberation, a cry against India’s repressive law APFSA which gives immunity to security forces. On the other is India’s declaration that this movement of rebellion is one of terrorism.
The Indian narrative: Kashmir as a Terror Threat
India has masked its crimes against Kashmiris by stating that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is responsible for the unrest in Kashmir. Even last year when some youth waved ISIS flags in Sringhar, Indian media said that ISIS is active in Kashmir. Senior police officials contended that ISIS flags are occasionally used by protesting youths merely to draw media attention. India has nonetheless presented Kashmir as the latest haven for terrorism to detract attention from its own terror-induced violence. It is the heavy-handed responses of Indian security forces operating under the guise of counter-terrorism, that are the driving force of the unrest in Kashmir. Not only has India’s human rights violations against Kashmiris intensified, the lines between terrorism and rebellion have become increasingly blurred, especially after Burhan Wani’s death. Because of Pakistan and India’s incessant fighting, forces have used tear gas canisters to break pro-freedom and anti-India protests. Nearly 1.7 million pellets have been fired at protesters, injuring more than 400 people. Hundreds suffer eye injuries from pellet guns. The Indian army blocked access to hospitals and attacked ambulances, leaving 36 protesters dead. When Kashmiri youth raised pro-Pakistan and pro-Azaad slogans, 100 were left injured. Indian security forces have even kidnapped injured Kashmiri youth from hospitals. Civilians are suffering most in this ruthless war on the streets. Yet India did not even acknowledge Irom Sharmila, the activist from Manipur. She had been leading a hunger strike against AFSPA, which gives security forces immunity to violate human rights. It is ominous that her strike was unsuccessful. India is quick to dismiss the dismal reality of its brutal violence against Kashmiris as irrelevant.
Kashmir: Pakistan’s “Jugular Vein”?
PM Sharif made it clear that Pakistan supports the demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. But while Pakistan has vowed to fight for Kashmir’s liberation, it must be careful with its own narrative, too. Calling Burhan Wani a “martyr” has only had dangerous consequences, especially when India calls him a “terrorist.”
When PM Modi criticized Pakistan for its own violations in Balochistan, Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaz Aziz was quick to say the usual — that RAW had been fomenting terrorism in Balochistan. Terrorism blame from either side does not pacify the Kashmiri struggle nor help the Kashmiri civilians that are being terrorized.
What about Kashmiris?
So what do Kashmiris want? That is certainly hard to ascertain. Kashmiri views are no monolith. Do Kashmiris prefer more autonomy to outright independence? What do they think about Pakistan’s efforts to support them? One Kashmiri wrote: “My dream of freedom turned into a battleground of extremist ideologies, prompting a Kashmiri to fight his war on two fronts – one of dissociation and another of rejection.”
A 2010 Chatham House poll revealed that 75-95% people in Kashmir, which is a majority, want independence from India and Pakistan. Moreover, it revealed that 44% of people in Pakistani-administered Kashmir favored independence, compared with 43% in Indian-administered Kashmir – this fails to carry a majority on either side. And raising pro-Pakistan slogans does not always mean Kashmiris are pro-Pakistani. It could simply mean that they are trying to provoke the Indian army to free themselves from an endless cycle of torture. It is unclear which side Kashmiris find reassurance in, if either at all.
Kashmir Reader reveals how a 17-year old boy was killed ruthlessly by the government. Youth continue to be murdered in this Kashmir intefada. While Kashmiris display pro-Pakistani sentiment, they have also expressed frustration over Islamabad’s “inconsistent Kashmir policy”. An editor in Kashmir Times noted that Kashmiris are suspicious of Pakistan’s state policy despite Pakistan’s declarations of support of the Kashmiri struggle. It is therefore unclear which side Kashmiris find reassurance in, if any at all.
But because Kashmiris are fighting a just cause for independence, a clear distinction can be made between Burhan Wani as a freedom fighter and a terrorist. Nearly 300,000 people joined Burhan Wani’s funeral and is distinguished as a hero by Kashmiris while India calls him a terrorist. Kashmiris have risen to defend their cause for independence after Burhan Wani’s death. The Kashmiri appeal for self-determination is unequivocally a just one, their struggle is undefeatable. The young disenchanted Kashmiri generation must fight a new kind of war to uphold their own identity. But Kashmir’s grievances are not being addressed by the competing narratives from India and Pakistan.
Blame cannot solely be placed on one side
The ongoing blame game has only failed to adequately expose India’s crimes against Kashmiris. PM Narendra Modi’s promise of freedom under “Indian democracy” and statement that “every Indian loves Kashmir” is not only misleading, it is extremely disturbing. Does his government truly abide by insaniyat, jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat? Placing the blame on India for human rights abuses against Kashmiris does not vindicate Pakistan, either.
By defending Kashmir’s right to self-determination to the extent that it is, Pakistan must not forget the lapses on its own soil as intolerance towards minorities continues rampantly. PM Sharif should first look inwards rather than raising slogans of being the voice of the people of Kashmir. While Pakistan’s recognition of Kashmir’s independence is commendable, it would be enough if it could implement its own National Action Plan (NAP). The Sufi and multi-religious traditions dominant in Kashmir, which advocate for religious harmony would not fair well Pakistan at all. Not only do religious militants in Pakistan want minorities eliminated, an attitude of intolerance towards minorities permeates society at large. Hatred and bigotry know no bounds in Pakistan, either.
Not only has India’s human rights violations against Kashmiris intensified, the lines between terrorism and rebellion have become increasingly blurred. A popular rebellion uprising in Kashmir is getting sidelined by the tension between India and Pakistan. Kashmir does not deserve be a commodity in this tug and war.