Mohammad Jamil
Jordan Times is the only English newspapwer in Jordan. On 13 February 2017 it published a news item on Kashmir mentioning Kashmiris killed by Indian soldiers as rebels and terrorists, while Hindu soldiers that were killed described as martyrs. The newspaper did not realize that Kashmiris are fighting for their right of self-determination bestowed by the UNSC through its resolutions. When Pakistan embassy took up the matter with the Jordan Times management, it gave three links of daily Dawn of Pakistan and sarcastically remarked that Pakistani newspapers were also using similar terms for those killed in Kashmir. One of the links given by Jordan Times with regard to daily Daw read: “According to Col. Manish, four terrorists were killed and four weapons were recovered from the encounter site. Two soldiers were also martyred and three injured during the encounter.”
The daily Dawn should not have reproduced the words of Col. Manish and instead should have carried the story without mentioning the rebels and martyrs. It is unfortunate that Pakistan has many unconscionable elements in media, in intelligentsia and even in politicos; but when media men and writers associated with Pakistani newspaper’ which claims to have been founded by Quaid-e-Azam, would be so careless in their stories and comments, it is lamentable. Unfortunately, a section of Pakistani media (enemies within) criticize Pakistan government and military perhaps to show that they are bold and independent. Instead of being a voice of sanity and moderation, some of them had become a catalyst of discord and disharmony. Yet more appallingly, some palmed-off commentariat and media networks were openly acting as the agents of inimical alien powers, purveying freely the perfidies of their foreign benefactors.
Jordan Times should have read the open letter to Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat by Kavita Krishnan, Secretary of the All India Progressive Women’s Association and editor of ‘Liberation’, the monthly publication of the Communist Party of India. She raised very important questions as to “why do Kashmiri youth and women pick up stones and guns? Why do they raise anti-India slogans? Why do soldiers kill themselves and colleagues?” She said Army chief needs to reflect on these questions. She went on to write: “General Rawat, it seems from the testimonies that the stone-pelting Kashmiris are being produced, not by Pakistan, but by the very presence of Indian armed forces in the Valley.” There are more than 500000 Indian forces and police in Kashmir. 90,000 Indian armed persons are deployed in Kashmir for a population of 5 million on counter-insurgency operations alone.
In one of the links the Jordan Times mentioned was the uprising after the martyrdom of Burhan Wani. Last year, over 100 Kashmiri civilians protesting on the streets have been killed, 1,178 received pellets in their eyes (52 of them were blinded, 300 including 150 minors partially lost vision) and 4,664 persons received bullet injuries in different parts of the bodies. When Kashmiris know that they can be killed even for demonstrating on streets or mourning in a funeral, why would they be deterred by the threat that they may be killed while obstructing an Army operation against militants? Last year, militants had attacked an Indian Army’s battalion at Uri, Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir killing 17 Indian soldiers. After martyrdom of Burhan Muzaffar Wani in July 2016, there were demonstrations in the Valley and other parts of Kashmir.
Indian military and police resorted to firing and use of pellet guns killing about 90 people including children and injuring thousands of them. The recent protests and slogans raised for azadi have never been so loud in the past. This seems to be a turning point in the history of Kashmiris struggle waged by the Kashmiri youth, who are determined to take it to the logical conclusion. But whenever the people of Kashmir protest against India’s repression and brutal actions, India accuses Pakistan of supporting the freedom fighters in Kashmir. It has to be mentioned that India has set up eight laser walls along the shared border with Pakistan. A laser wall is a mechanism to detect objects passing the line of sight between the laser source and the detector. A laser beam over a river sets off a loud siren in case of a breach.
India plans to cover more than 40 vulnerable unfenced stretches along the Pakistan border with laser walls, with the home ministry giving it a top priority to prevent any infiltration. India had already stepped up efforts to secure the border in wake of an attack on the Pathankot airbase, which India alleged was stormed by terrorists who crossed over from Pakistan. The terrorists were believed to have entered India 5km downstream of Bamiyal near the Tash border outpost – a riverine point not covered by a laser wall. India has been bragging about the 3-tier security fence’s efficacy. “It is impossible for infiltrating militants to cross over the three-tiered border fencing along LoC. There is desperation in Kashmiris leadership and Pakistani establishment due to failure to cross-over the fencing”, said Brig A. Sengupta who commands the front brigade deployed to guard the LoC in forward sectors.
Indian Army feels the border fencing along the Indo-Pak border has virtually turned into a death trap for ultras, as 28 infiltrating militants were killed when troops foiled bids this year. Passing through dense woods, narrow valleys and riverine areas along the LoC and international border, the fence, it says, has proved to a major deterrent against cross-border infiltration as it acts as a “round-the-clock” guard. In view of these claims, there is no justification for India to point a finger of accusation towards Pakistan. In order to divert attention of the dire situation in IOK, India is raising the bogey of infiltrators from Pakistan. It is a question mark on the United Nations and the international community that it is not asking India to honor the commitment made to the United Nations that people of Kashmir would decide joining India or Pakistan through a plebiscite to be held under the aegis of the UN.
