Thursday, 28 March 2024, 04:40:10 pm

Analysts hail Pakistan’s steadfast support to Kashmiris for their right to self-determination
June 22, 2021

Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Naeem Khalid Lodhi (Defense Analyst): The statement of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is in line with the UNSC resolutions and it supports sentiments of Kashmiris across the globe. It will further stimulate the situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. I am hopeful that Kashmiri politicians will urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore occupied Kashmir’s autonomy. Unfortunately, New Delhi has struggled for decades to crush freedom sentiments in illegally occupied Kashmir. Indian authorities have kept a tight grip on held Kashmir since revoking its autonomy in August 2019 and have arrested many separatist leaders.

Abdullah Gul (Defense Analyst): Modi government came into power with a biased approach and fascist mindset. Majority of Indian politicians are not supportive of the extremist policies of Narendra Modi. India can never occupy Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir through use of brutal force. The only solution to resolve Kashmir dispute is the implementation of UNSC resolutions on Kashmir. The world acknowledges Kashmir as a disputed territory. Keeping in view the ground reality and post-US withdrawal situation in Afghanistan, India is now trying to divert world’s attention and is inviting Kashmiri leadership for a meeting on prevailing situation in the occupied valley. India has become completely frustrated at this point of time. United Nations should play a responsible role in resolving the Kashmir dispute. Many civilized countries are raising voice in support of Kashmiris.

Dr. Rasul Bakhsh Rais (IR Expert): It is a great and bold decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and is purely for the sake of national interests of Pakistan. We have had experience of having strategic relations with the United States. Pakistan is the country that has been most affected by the war in Afghanistan. Islamabad is hosting over 3.4 million Afghan refugees for decades, despite its limited resources. There is a positive change in foreign policy of Pakistan under the present government and we need to admire it. Pakistan has always supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and it wants a genuine democratic government in the neighboring country with Taliban in the power sharing. As the United States and its allies are leaving Afghanistan, intra-Afghan dialogue regarding reconciliation and future political arrangement seems to be going nowhere. Pakistan wants all the stakeholders in Afghanistan to be part of efforts to ensure progress towards an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

Dr. Sarfraz Khan (IR Expert): Prime Minister Imran Khan has made it clear that Pakistan would absolutely not allow any bases or use of its territory to the United States for any sort of action inside Afghanistan. Prime Minister also made it clear that Islamabad cannot afford any more military actions from its territory and it will be partner in peace, not in conflict. It is unfortunate that some elements in Afghanistan are playing the role of peace spoilers in ongoing intra-Afghan dialogue process. The regional stakeholders must keep an eye on such elements. Peace in Afghanistan is in the interest of all the neighboring countries, including China, Pakistan, and Iran. The Afghan nation and some factions are also in favor of peace and stability in Afghanistan. As the US plans to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11 this year, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country.