ALI SUKHANVER
Innocence and sincerity are no more admirable traits of a human character; they are simply a sin and a crime. A sincerely innocent person is always rewarded with the violation of his basic human rights. This world of modern temperament never lets an innocent and sincere person live a life of calm and peace; he is always exploited and abused. The people of Pakistan are also being punished and penalized for the sins of innocence and sincerity. In fact they are peace-loving by nature, calm by temperament and loving by creed. That is why most of the time they are unable to understand the hidden cruelties and the concealed conspiracies. Recently there came on the surface a friendship movement, with the name of ‘Aman Ki Aasha ‘means ‘A desire for Peace’. The organizers of this movement claim that it is supported by different NGOs and media-men of Pakistan and India. The aim and object of this movement is to struggle for a closer and cordial relationship between the two neighbouring countries. It is really a very serene type of effort and surely a very sublime kind of struggle which would be appreciated and admired by most of the Pakistani people but at the same time they would be doubtful regarding the fruitfulness of such adventurous efforts. It is a tradition and culture of India to crush relentlessly every effort done by the people of Pakistan for the promotion of peaceful relations between the countries.
In the first week of January, an invitation was sent to different politicians, journalists and other eminent people of Pakistan from different walks of life by India International Centre IIC New Delhi. They are requested to participate in a conference which is going to take place on 10th January in New Delhi. In the introduction note the organizers say; ‘India and Pakistan have, for the last 62 years, seen many ups and downs in bilateral relationship. The November attacks on Mumbai completely hijacked the scenario and brought the relationship between the two countries to breakdown point. This was further intensified by the war hysteria whipped up by the religious right wing in both the countries. The conference is being organized to mobilize the peace activists and peace groups.’ There would be different speakers from throughout the world .talking on different topics. The names of the speakers and their topics are also mentioned in the invitation. The eminent speakers from Pakistan include Mrs. Sherry Rehman, Dr.Aisha Siddiqa, Mrs.Madeeha Gohar, Asma Jahangeer, Iqbal Haider, Siraj Malik Abrar, Senator Hasil Bizenjo and so many others. The general topic of the conference is ‘A Road map toward peace’. On the second day of the conference the speakers would express their thoughts on a very heart rending type of topic,’ The Issue of Autonomy: Kashmir and Balochistan’. Unfortunately most of the speakers chosen to speak on this topic belong to Pakistan. The Indian organizers have very tactfully entrapped the Pakistani scholars to comment on a topic which is nothing but a pure negation of the basic ideology which Pakistan has always been projecting and following. The Kashmir issue has neither any comparison nor any similarity with Balochistan. There is a very clear and obvious difference between these two regions; Balochistan is Pakistan but Kashmir is not India. The Balochis are always ready to sacrifice their lives for their motherland Pakistan; the Kashmiris are never willing to waste their precious lives for India. Kashmir is a bone of contention but Balochistan is the heart and soul of Pakistan. The Kashmiris are a neglected nation not only from the Indian government but also from the so-called Indian peace promoters who are never ready to raise any voice for the helpless and voiceless Kashmiris; Balochistan is a land which is always taken care of by the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan. Recently announced Balochistan Package is the brightest example of the value and worth of Balochistan. It is true that somewhere in the past the people of this area could not be facilitated and accommodated according to their expectations but now the situation is altogether changed. New projects of development and progress are in process; new funds have been allocated; the young Balochis are being offered so many attractive services in the Pakistan army, new colleges and universities and other educational institutions are being established. It is strongly hoped that within a very short period of time, Balochistan would be leading other provinces in prosperity and progress. In short Balochistan has no similarity with Kashmir.
It is a bitter truth that India is always in a habit of deforming the facts. Simply look at the words stated in the invitation issued by India International Centre IIC New Delhi, ‘The November attacks on Mumbai completely hijacked the scenario and brought the relationship between the two countries to breakdown point’, these sugar coated words are a double-edged sword of propaganda and nothing else. Pakistan is now-a-days facing the worst shortage of river waters; the shortfall in the production of electricity and the drying lands have shattered the whole social and economic fiber of Pakistani .This situation is the result of the construction of the Baghliar dam and the Krishan-Ganga Hydro Power Projects by India The government of Pakistan had been protesting against these water projects but the government of India never paid any heed to this protest. And certainly these projects were started and completed a long time before the Mumbai Attacks. Pakistan has nothing to do with the so-called Mumbai attacks and with the ‘framed terrorist Ajmal Qassab, so it were not the Mumbai attacks which brought the relationship between the two countries to breakdown point , the story of worsening relationship goes back to the past.
Conferences, seminars and symposiums are civilized and courteous weapons of this modern age. These weapons are designed for the ‘wise’ people whose wisdom is so meek that they are never able to feel the cruel sharpness of a sword because they are impressed by its flashy brightness. Then there comes a time when they realise that the brightness of the sword was for their eyes and the sharpness for their throats. Such ‘wise’ people are called the Innocents; and they could never live long because their innocence is soon rewarded with death penalty.
The writer is a Pakistan based analyst on international strategic and defense affairs.