Pakistani Policy in Peril after the Quake

By: Hari Sud
Novermber 09, 2005
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On Monday November 7, 2005, Kashmiri demonstrators on Pakistani side of the Line Of Control (LOC) approached the newly opened border crossing shouting slogans. They were tear gassed & shot at and forced to disperse by the Pakistani Army. Among other things, they wanted grievances like, lack of relief supplies a month after the quake redressed. The LOC opening and focus on the five crossing points provided them an outlet to show the world that they were being simply ignored. If permitted, they will cross over to India and get supplies from there. Additional demands the demonstrators put forward were independent Kashmir without a LOC and need for them to see their relatives on either side of the LOC.

All the above flew in the face of Pakistani propaganda in the West that Kashmir is restive and wants independence from India. In fact the demonstrators wanted independence from Pakistan. Pakistan has projected Pakistani Occupied Kashmir (POK) as peaceful place where honey and milk flows. The contrary appears to be true.

What has Terrorism has done to the Pakistani Cause

Terrorism has basically destroyed any sympathy Kashmiris on Indian side of Kashmir had for Pakistani cause. Daily bombings in the heart of Srinagar, murder of honest men and women who are trying to run the civil administration in the wake of daily provocations, use of religious places by the terrorists after bombing & terror to escape to Pakistan, slitting of throats of shepherds who accidentally run into the terrorist hideouts or for being simply Hindus, has not sit well with the Kashmiri population. Contrary to what Pakistani Army tells everybody, these terrorists are not Kashmiris. They come from the plains of Pakistan for murder and mayhem, motivated by the religious zealotry preached in the mosques and streets of Pakistan. Hence, these outsiders are un-welcomed. They force their will on the people. The local population obeys their command because they carry guns. Anybody who breaks his or her silence is murdered in a most horrible manner.

Current world focus on earthquake in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir; presence of NATO & US troops and UN agencies in POK has finally emboldened the local population. They have now decided to express their unwillingness to go along with Pakistani lies. This resulted in the November 7^th demonstrations.

The Pakistani Side of Kashmir

It is a less developed, hilly and inhospitable area, where people make a living by growing fruits and tending to the tourists. Tourism is a lesser-developed industry, as Pakistanis do not travel to POK for holiday and recuperation. Also there had never been a focus to develop this industry for the welfare of the people. In past 50 years, Pakistan paid no attention to the well being of the Kashmiri people. It concentrated on building military infrastructure for confrontation and training ground to infiltrate terrorists into the Indian side of Kashmir. The local people had no say in it as puppets appointed by the Pakistani Army governed them. The Jihadi infrastructure was completely an un-welcome institution for the locals. To preserve the secrecy, local people were kept out of loop from its existence. The army sourced nothing locally; hence no benefits flowed back to the people. In northern part of POK, in Gilgit and Baltistan, the Shia population was subject to innumerable atrocities by the Sunni Jehadis. This situation has been made worst with the presence of Afghan and Arab Jehadis alongside the Pakistani. The former is the worst offenders of the human rights. The later, the followers of Osma Bin Laden are hiding from the American Army or simply implementing the religious bigotry on the docile population of Kashmir. All this was kept well hidden from the world with constant propaganda of human rights violation in Indian side of the LOC. The world press and the western diplomats opposed to India, constantly bought this argument and criticized India. Only now, they are learning that the quake supplies, which the West furnished, have disappeared into Pakistani Army stores and weeks after the quake, relief and supplies are still unavailable in the mountainous corners of POK. For a while the Pakistani Army mounted a clever propaganda that the Jehadis who were ready to be infiltrated into Indian Kashmir have joined in the quake relief effort. It is completely untrue as is evident by the murder and mayhem committed by these terrorists after the earthquake hit the area on November 7. Such incidents suddenly increased in Kashmir including bombing in Delhi, prior to the Diwali festival. Surprisingly, the Western press is in Pakistani Pocket. They publish anything, which the Pakistanis tell them.

Indian Kashmir after the Quake

The earthquake lightly affected this side. Roads leading to the LOC and area in the proximity suffered loss of life including damage to the infrastructure. But India reacted speedily with relief supplies and care for the people affected. People on the Pakistani side saw the distinct difference in the relief effort and wished to cross over. If they had managed to do that it would have been a death stroke to the Pakistan’s prestige. Hence any movement from Pakistani side to India was summarily curtailed. Offer of help from India were summarily dismissed. Talks on opening the LOC dragged for weeks. Funny things happened, Pakistani army wished to supplement the US helicopter fleet with Indian helicopters (which were located close to the LOC) but without Indian pilots or the maintenance crew. People in the POK, who were waiting in the open for relief and aid, could not care less. They would have loved to cross over to India, except the Pakistani Army at the LOC prevented it. Interestingly, in the POK, the Pakistani Army spread the rumor of huge death and destruction on the Indian side. They lost this propaganda battle also when India very quickly restored the telephone link with POK. People on both sides could now talk to each other and find out about each other’s welfare. Lately, propaganda war has been a loosing battle for the Pakistanis. It helped to accelerate the slow moving negotiations for the opening of LOC. It became a reality on November 7.

Is the Jehadi Infrastructure in POK Alive and Well or Dead after the Quake?

This infrastructure is too valuable a tool for Pakistani Army to be allowed to die after the quake. But it suffered grievous blow. The Pakistani authorities have said nothing about it, although initially their training organization in Pakistani cities, regretted the great loss of life and material of their trained personnel. The true impact of the quake on the Jehadi organizations and its infrastructure in POK will not be known for a while. But one thing is very clear i.e. the epicenter of the quake was right in the middle of the Jehadi training and supply bases, hence it could not have escaped major losses.

As I said, the Jehadi infrastructure is too valuable for Pakistan Army to let it die; hence it will be rebuilt, sooner than latter. Hence there is no respite for the Kashmiri people.

Do You See any Change in Pakistani Attitude after the Quake?

It is unlikely that Pakistan will reverse its ways. This setback is temporary in their quest to snatch Kashmir away from India. All this sweet-talks currently underway between the two neighbors is to buy time. Terrorists will infiltrate again. They will once again make life for the people of Kashmir miserable. There is only one thing, which is permanent i.e. attitude of people of POK towards India and attitude of the people of Indian Kashmir towards India. It has been permanently changed. Pakistani propaganda had been projecting India as monster in the eyes of the people of Kashmir. Suddenly they discovered it otherwise. Pakistani army is in a dilemma. It is trying to draw attention of Kashmiri people away from the Indian relief supplies and help. Hence a huge effort is underway to murder people in Srinagar and Delhi to invite a response from the Indian Army. Very smartly India postponed the response to the bombings in Srinagar and Delhi to another day of their choosing. Seeing the good side of India, the population of POK held demonstrations against Pakistan. Such happenings, prior to the quake were impossibility. Now with everybody watching, they can vent their feelings and frustrations.

Let us hope and Prey:

We hope that the current provocation in Kashmir and Delhi do not interfere with the peace process, now in progress. For Pakistani Army, it is a golden opportunity to mend its ways. They are in a bad shape. Their fighting infrastructure has been completely destroyed at the LOC. It will be years before they regroup and mount an effective defense along the LOC. Their resolve to rebuild and resettle will be further tested under the very watchful eyes of UN agencies and US & NATO forces. If they fail in this test, the people of Kashmir are likely to turn against them. The good name of Pakistani propaganda will be further exasperated when the foreign agency workers return home and talk about the callous Pakistani Army and its administration.

In the End, What has the Quake done Pakistan’s Credibility in POK?

The quake has completely destroyed Pakistan’s credibility in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir. The Western press may follow this very closely. The images of Pakistani Army chasing the demonstrators and fired at them are not sitting well with the regime in Islamabad. The Pakistani army immediately blamed India for it. They forgot to tell the world that India is waiting with aid and supplies, should POK citizens are allowed to cross the LOC. The latter offer does not apply to the Pakistani terrorists who may also like to cross to India.

Hari Sud

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