After cracks appeared in BJP-PDP coalition government, PDP wanted to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the backing of rival NC and the Congress; but assembly was dissolved and Governor’s Rule was imposed. On 19th December 2018, President’s rule had been imposed in the state. These measures among others were taken because Narendra Modi wanted to have BJP majority in the state assembly in the next elections. A massive search operation has been conducted along the Indo-Pakistan international border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on 3rd February. The visit seems to have been planned so that the Army, police and other security force could continue the search operations and put the Hurriyat leadership under house arrest. Narendra Modi is jittery and nervous over the situation in Indian Held Kashmir.
It was in this backdrop that Modi government made an issue of Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s telephonic call to Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and called Pakistan’s ambassador to the External Affairs Ministry. India on Thursday had warned Pakistan of consequences if Islamabad tries to undermine the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, or encourage individuals associated with terrorism or other anti-India activities. Pakistan’s Foreign Office rejected objection raised by India, and according to a statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Office said: “The Kashmir issue remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council. We also categorically reject any insinuation that seeks to project as terrorism the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. This is an outright travesty”. In August 2014, New Delhi had cancelled the foreign secretary-level talks after Pakistan high commissioner in New Delhi had held consultations with Hurriyat members.
In fact, it was more of a norm that Pakistan held meetings with Hurriyat leaders before talks with India. The then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif had raised this issue at the UNGA at the 69th session, and blamed India for another missed opportunity to address outstanding issues by cancelling the foreign secretaries’ talks in August 2014. Cancellation of secretary level talks was reflective of lack of understanding of the issue and short-sightedness of Narendra Modi’s government. India had called off engagement with Pakistan many times in the past on flimsy grounds, only to realize later that there was no other alternative to the dialogue. In 2016, Sartaj Aziz and India’s NSA Ajit Doval had vowed to work on the agenda for talks; however India insisted on having talks on only matters related to terrorism without deliberations on Kashmir, Sir Creek and Siachen issues.
Anyhow, the world has started understanding India’s shenanigans, and it is in this backdrop that the United Kingdom categorically refused India’s request to cancel an event highlighting human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir. The event is scheduled to be held at the British Parliament. According to India Today, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that New Delhi had taken up the matter with the British government. “We have taken it up with the UK very strongly. We hope that they will understand our objections to the proposed conference and take appropriate action,” said Kumar. The event is expected to be attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is scheduled to travel to the British capital on those days. Thrashing the hopes of the Indian government, the British government asserted that it will not interfere in the matter.
“The United Kingdom Members of the Parliament are independent of government,” said the British High Commission spokesperson in New Delhi. “It is for the individual members to decide who they meet and for what purpose”, he added. The meeting is being organised at the House of Commons by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan (APPG-Pakistan) that comprises MPs from the Conservative and Labour Party. It will be followed by an exhibition in London. The APPG-Pakistan’s event aims to “highlight the centrality of Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the grave human rights violations against the Kashmiri people, by India, which are being widely condemned and need to be immediately stopped,” said a FO Press release.
