PAKISTAN/KASHMIR: The militarized politics in Pakistan has seriously undermined the political process and civil institutions 

The article: My visit to Kashmir by Mumtaz Khan

I have returned to Kashmir after one year. During this period many political developments and changes have taken place which was seen with cynicism and optimism internally and externally. The politics of Kashmir remains a source of attrition for both countries and if rationales of policy had not been changed then it would not have resulted in political disaster which we witness in Pakistan. Two states armed with nuclear weapons and involved in unending conflict produced militarized politics. This has changed the internal political dynamics where one country landed into military hands—Pakistan—while the other has witnessed growing nationalistic politics. The militarized politics in Pakistan has seriously undermined the that have changed the political destiny of the country. The military policy of capturing Kashmir through proxy Jihad has produced an uncontrollable chain of events in Pakistan which threatens its own integrity and regional stability.

The controversy surrounding the Amaranth land transfer bill that caused political protest in the valley resembles the old politics rooted in Jammu and the valley’s political psychology dating back to the Dogra rule period. Jammuites view the valley as having deprived them of their rights and still continue to rule them. Vallites accuse Dogra’s rule as being an unjust and undemocratic period in the valley. As a result, both sides took on extreme positions which some groups misrepresented as pro-India and pro-Pakistan, especially in the valley where hundreds of thousands people spontaneously took to the street, and pro-Pakistan slogans and flags were raised to depict it as a pro-Pakistan rally. But such claims were badly exposed when elections were held under the same highly charged situation. The high turn-out at the polls in the last twenty years has taken aback pro-Pakistan groups that exposed their claims of support and soon returned to their old politics of threats and boycotts.

I received various perspectives during my stay in Srinagar, which helps to understand the new evolving dynamics and dimensions of current politics in Kashmir. Competing claims and drifting interests have always created chaos and confusion which has benefited different political forces to justify their contested politics. The politics that we have witnessed in the valley for the last twenty years in the name of freedom has gone from bad to worse; as pro-Pakistan groups do not miss any minor incident to advance their vested interests which has caused havoc to the life of common people who have been caught in between two competing interests and opinions. The groups which jumped on Islamabad’s bandwagon face a serious credibility crisis at home and abroad. Already having limited support they have begun to shrink since the political crisis in Pakistan began to deepen, as the Taliban and extremist threats have spread across the world.

Their entire politics is focused on how to sustain political uncertainty in order to discredit every elected government so that, people loose faith in accountable and plural political culture and elections. However, the majority clearly blames pro-Islamabad groups for advancing the agenda of New Delhi. They argue that in the last twenty years only “valley” was made to suffer and other regions particularly “Jammu” benefited.

Different schools of thought maintain that this type of politics suits New Delhi because they want the valley to suffer in order to make them realize the cost of advancing the political constituency of Islamabad. However, people claim that they have always voted pro-Indian mainstream parties to power and even Sheikh managed to carry Kashmir away from Islamabad and accede to India in spite of serious communal sentiments that were running across India.

Common People and civil society members believe that pro-Pakistan politics is not possible without the support of New Delhi which accords these pro-Pakistan leaders not only protocol, but offers them zero plus security equal to that of chief minister. The irony is that the same Indian security escorts these pro-Pakistan groups when they hold anti-India rallies, protests and demonstrations. This further strengthens public misgivings about the political intentions of New Delhi, and questions the motives for facilitating the politics of these groups. They question how under house arrest these leaders are able to enjoy full liberty to hold press conferences, telephonic speeches and interviews. While some detained cohorts not only enjoy the liberty to preach their political philosophy in jails, but I was told that they behave like thugs in jail with opponents whom they have physically attacked and injured in police presence. Few journalists have raised the question of misusing religious places of worship for non-religious and political purposes, which have become centers of political activities. The sanctity of mosques is widely desecrated to advance their petty politics, which shows how the state government allows it to happen and how serious they are to stop proxy politics and forces. The Pakistan government did not hesitate to use tanks and guns in Lal masjid when the Aziz brothers tried to misuse the mosques. Although, they weren’t advancing another country’s agenda except for introducing the Islamic system for which the country had been created. Have any of the pro-Islamabad groups uttered any word over the Lal Masjid issue and why hasn’t the government stopped the misuse of the mosque there?

While seeking any meaningful engagement, both governments seem to be more interested in winning over Washington concerning Kashmir; where Islamabad is always keen on hearing word “K” from U.S. officials for domestic public consumption, while Delhi is not interested in hearing word “K” which puts the real issue behind. The pro-Pakistan group politics is linked with chaos and confusion so that, the state government fails to carry out developmental and educational programs which erodes people’s faith in elected governments and forces the public to follow their politics. The politics of death and destruction in the last twenty years that these proxy politicians introduced in Kashmir has not empowered the cause or identity of Kashmir which has seriously harmed the plural values of the state. Musharraf had to concede the political impotence of these groups on television. The media claims that he invited them to get their opinion on Kashmir before going to Agra. However, none had anything to share, which exposes their claims, and the cause that they advocate in the media, mosques and streets by chanting anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans which neither weakened India nor strengthened Pakistan though it has undermined the Kashmiri identity and values.

It appears that Kashmir politics which is brutally commercialized and privatized by different groups and establishments has given birth to an illegal economy that now reins over politics. On close examination there is a thriving illegal economy in Kashmir. This can be observed by the life style of many such groups, the booming real state in Srinagar, the showcasing of new model cars, a large workforce and lavish hospitality that is offered to every visitor in the valley which I do not observe in India, Pakistan or in the west. This illegal economy is not only confined to these political groups which lavishly distribute to engage political activists, the media and civil society members to sustain this kind of politics. I was told that a few months ago a protest was organized in Srinagar Bar over an incident and a Sikh lawyer was chanting the slogan: “what we want Nizam-e-Mustafa”. One can imagine the involvement of the illegal economy which now manages to pull not only non-Muslims, but government officials, security personnel, the media and responsible persons. The fight is not to contain destructive politics, but it appears that the consensus is on maintaining the status quo which serves all interests. The state government’s and New Delhi’s policy of countering the illegal economy by offering counter incentives and money has strengthened this economy. Unless the idea of countering the illegal economy by legal means is not embraced and if justice is not encouraged and enforced in transparent manners, will political uncertainty remain in Kashmir. In spite of the fact that militancy has dramatically decreased, the lack of “political will” and a coherent political strategy is believed to be the obstacle in restoring political order in the valley.

Mumtaz Khan is the Vice Chairman International Kashmir Alliance-IKA
Toronto, Canada, and is prominent writer on the affairs of Kashmir of both the sides. Mumtazkhan88@yahoo.com

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