It
wasn’t a SAARC conference but a shark conference
that gulped down a lot ideological differences, cultural
contrasts, border disputes, differences on water resources,,,,,,,,all
gone in a single swallow. The conference boasted peace
talks, messages of solidarity, songs of love, setting
up common borders, celebrating the historical event
of 1857 together, it put forward suggestions of single
currency and common passports, fresh cooperation and
joint ventures in sport and culture, an accord was signed
to curb terrorism, and pledges were taken to check border
infiltration.
The pro-Hindu, hardened politician L K Adavni is beside
himself with the success of the SAARC conference. Not
only him but many international leaders, Pakistani politicians,
and analysts are also giving out messages of felicitations.
Yes, one should be happy at prospects of peace. War
is not the answer to domestic and foreign problems.
War turns cities buzzing with life into graveyards.
Thousands of citizens are disabled and wounded, the
road to development is blocked, business goes downhill,
inflation hits the sky, the people cry out for a small
piece of bread.
The Quran-e-Kareem illustrates the devastation of war
concisely in the words of Queen Bilqees (Queen of Sheba),
“She said, when (conquering) kings enter a city
or town it is ruined to rubble and its honorables are
humiliated.”
War does not affect any one element but all aspects
of life so it is always better to avoid it. The view
taken by those intellectuals and writers makes sense,
who continuously advocate peace and the pressing need
for dialogue. On the other hand the views taken by those
scholars cannot be ignored who are consistently warning
us against an enemy who is known for its meanness, malice,
prejudice, intolerance, selfishness, and hypocrisy;
who is well known for its unique policy of stabbing
in the back; who has not accepted us after the passage
of 56 years; whose hands are dripping with the blood
of eighty thousand Kashmiris; who is responsible for
defiling the honour of thousands of respectable women;
that with whom we not only have a political and geographical,
but also an ideological conflict; who has never missed
a chance to injure us or take revenge; who has never
forgotten the one thousand years of Muslim rule over
them. Those, who’s Prime Minister announced on
the Fall of Dhaka,
“We have taken the revenge of a thousand years’
subjugation.”
The only reason for the barrage on River Chenab and
Jehlam is to deprive Pakistan of their waters that will
result in shortage for agriculture and give rise to
a draught. The talks of free trade are not to improve
Pakistan’s business but to boost their own. This
was the very same desire for spreading business and
a new market that played a key role in the creation
of Bangladesh. Bharat was in urgent need of a market
where it could dump its second-rate products. Today
it has arrived on the same mission in Pakistan.
Let’s suppose that making transportation easier
will encourage good relations between the two nations,
but the question is, before the partition both nations
had scores of chances to develop good relation every
day, why did they not fraternize then? Let alone occupied
Kashmir, talk of free Kashmir, and still further, Skardu
and Gilgit on which they have set their eyes. We admit
that some sort of sacrifice is needed for the solution
of problems but this far? Where our national existence
and our borders are compromised, no it is not acceptable
to any of us.
The mujahideen of occupied Kashmir have put forward
five conditions before the Indian Government to cease
gorilla attacks: one, that India end the repeated mantra
of calling Kashmir its “atot ang” (inseparable
part) and accept it as a disputed territory; two, the
problem of Kashmir be solved according to the wish of
the people of Kashmir; three, the release of all Kashmiri
prisoners; four, bring to a halt the persecution of
unarmed civilians; and five, call back its army from
Kashmir. Despite being weak, inadequately armed, and
without any official support, they have respect for
themselves and put forward terms of their own for a
compromise. But we, who have not only nuclear power
but are also a free nation, have not given any kind
of stipulations.
We only want to give and want nothing in return. Yesterday
we took a U-turn over the Afghan issue and today we
want to turn about on the question of Kashmir. Yesterday,
we betrayed the Taliban and today we want to close our
eyes to Kashmiris. Do negotiate and try to create a
better atmosphere, do give peace a chance for the 15
billion populace of both the countries as there is no
question of progress without peace, do organize more
SAARC conferences; but for God’s sake do not let
it become a Shark. A shark which is going to eat up
our freedom, ideology, identity, our jihadi sentiment,
our individuality, our customs and culture, our nation
and land, even our very existence.
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