Seeing pakistan's youth speaking on the program was a big let down. They did two things which show why we have to continue to engage pakistan. 1) They justified Terrorism 2) They believed Dictatorship has been a boon to them.
It just goes on to show that emotions run deep in Pakistan and cool logic has no place in their repotoire. They say root cause for Terrorism is Kashmir...and that India must hold refrendum and take the will of the people in account. Well sure...that's perfectly true, absolutely valid demand, but valid only at that time, the issue got skewed a lot by Pakistan after that to let the matter be as crystal clear as the youth of Pakistan believe today. Let me ask, whose will Pakistan wants to be taken in account after unleasing terror and ethnic cleansing in Kashmir due to which majority of Kashmiri pandits are out of the valley. I must also ask that after being enlightened and educated should one be narrow towards his own religion? In today's world we must respect diversity and accept it with secular hearts. Now before it is pointed out that i am perhaps attempting to lay blame on Pakistan let's get the facts right first.
1) Though Kashmir was a muslim dominated state, since it was ruled by a Hindu king, and maybe under pressure from Delhi, the king 'legally' acceded to India. Surely the situation was not palatable to Pakistan, they reacted with a Kargil type of infiltration where they sent Qabalayis to capture Kashmir, before a full scale war broke out a cease fire was brokered by western states who were more amenable to Pakistan that time, and Kashmir's most territory went into hands of pakistan, what we call Pakistan occupied Kashmir. What Pakistan resorted to was thuggery with this act they divided the families and hearts of Kashmiri's.
2) UN resolutions reccommended plebescite in Kashmir, but after withdrawal of tropps from the state, this included the territory occupied by Pakistan. The fact is Pakistan didn't withdraw it's troops and didn't wish refrendum in it's occupied territory, thus historically the UN resolutions were killed by Pakistan.
3) To complicate the territorial issues, Pakistan ceded a large territory of it's occupied Kashmir to China, which is known as Aksai Chin today... now exactly how the youth of Pakistan today wish the UN resolutions to be implemented in Aksai Chin?
4) The weak Western Pakistani administration led to break up of publich support to East Pakistan in East Pakistan, India took advantage of it and helped creation of Bangladesh, in lieu of releasing over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers Prime Minister Bhutto had to sign the Shimla agreement, for which Bhutto was hanged after a coup.
5)With a valid Shimla agreement in place, and realization that full scale war with India is not going to yeild results. Terrorism was the answer, today everyone having access to internet knows how this terrorism was organised, funded & executed and ethnic cleansing perperated in Kashmir. sadly justified by the younsters on the show.
The fact of the matter is that Pakistan after occupying two thirds of Kashmir is not satisfied till it gets Srinagar, a refrendum today in Kasmir of India will go either way in the valley, but in India's favor in Ladhak & Jammu, thus the overall result will in India's favor... What happens to the refrendum in Pakistan occupied Kashmir & Aksai Chin? So therefore what Musharraf is targeting is only the valley, that's his goal and face saving formula which he terms as a solution which will be dignified and cater to self respect of Pakistani's.
That's that.
Youth of both nations have inherited this history, it cannot be changed. In Pakistan lessons in history are skewed as well. Pakistan first refuses that it's army was ever involved in Kargil, now the General writes in his memoirs that it was pakistan's army's most glorious chapter! In fact Pakistani's feel they have won every war with India... so be it, that's what they are told & taught. Pakistani's feel India wants to avoid refrendum! I will throughly enjoy a TV debate on Pakistani channel which should adress the issue how refrendum is to be implemented today in accordance with UN resolutions.
There is however a very wonderful thing in Pakistan, their press is free...independent and new generation of journalist not afraid to call a spade a spade, which i am sure will make the youth of Pakistan more aware, and analytical. Surely then i will never see a young pakistani justifying terrorism, and supporting dictatorship.
Finally the young men on the show were emphatic that India was engaging in subversive activities in balochistan, they might not be entirely off mark, but the point is are we going to keep at it forever? We have already created an Aksai Chin and Bangladesh...let the new generation rise and say enough is enough. With Media on both sides of border taking up the mantle...I am sure that day isn't far.
It just goes on to show that emotions run deep in Pakistan and cool logic has no place in their repotoire. They say root cause for Terrorism is Kashmir...and that India must hold refrendum and take the will of the people in account. Well sure...that's perfectly true, absolutely valid demand, but valid only at that time, the issue got skewed a lot by Pakistan after that to let the matter be as crystal clear as the youth of Pakistan believe today. Let me ask, whose will Pakistan wants to be taken in account after unleasing terror and ethnic cleansing in Kashmir due to which majority of Kashmiri pandits are out of the valley. I must also ask that after being enlightened and educated should one be narrow towards his own religion? In today's world we must respect diversity and accept it with secular hearts. Now before it is pointed out that i am perhaps attempting to lay blame on Pakistan let's get the facts right first.
1) Though Kashmir was a muslim dominated state, since it was ruled by a Hindu king, and maybe under pressure from Delhi, the king 'legally' acceded to India. Surely the situation was not palatable to Pakistan, they reacted with a Kargil type of infiltration where they sent Qabalayis to capture Kashmir, before a full scale war broke out a cease fire was brokered by western states who were more amenable to Pakistan that time, and Kashmir's most territory went into hands of pakistan, what we call Pakistan occupied Kashmir. What Pakistan resorted to was thuggery with this act they divided the families and hearts of Kashmiri's.
2) UN resolutions reccommended plebescite in Kashmir, but after withdrawal of tropps from the state, this included the territory occupied by Pakistan. The fact is Pakistan didn't withdraw it's troops and didn't wish refrendum in it's occupied territory, thus historically the UN resolutions were killed by Pakistan.
3) To complicate the territorial issues, Pakistan ceded a large territory of it's occupied Kashmir to China, which is known as Aksai Chin today... now exactly how the youth of Pakistan today wish the UN resolutions to be implemented in Aksai Chin?
4) The weak Western Pakistani administration led to break up of publich support to East Pakistan in East Pakistan, India took advantage of it and helped creation of Bangladesh, in lieu of releasing over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers Prime Minister Bhutto had to sign the Shimla agreement, for which Bhutto was hanged after a coup.
5)With a valid Shimla agreement in place, and realization that full scale war with India is not going to yeild results. Terrorism was the answer, today everyone having access to internet knows how this terrorism was organised, funded & executed and ethnic cleansing perperated in Kashmir. sadly justified by the younsters on the show.
The fact of the matter is that Pakistan after occupying two thirds of Kashmir is not satisfied till it gets Srinagar, a refrendum today in Kasmir of India will go either way in the valley, but in India's favor in Ladhak & Jammu, thus the overall result will in India's favor... What happens to the refrendum in Pakistan occupied Kashmir & Aksai Chin? So therefore what Musharraf is targeting is only the valley, that's his goal and face saving formula which he terms as a solution which will be dignified and cater to self respect of Pakistani's.
That's that.
Youth of both nations have inherited this history, it cannot be changed. In Pakistan lessons in history are skewed as well. Pakistan first refuses that it's army was ever involved in Kargil, now the General writes in his memoirs that it was pakistan's army's most glorious chapter! In fact Pakistani's feel they have won every war with India... so be it, that's what they are told & taught. Pakistani's feel India wants to avoid refrendum! I will throughly enjoy a TV debate on Pakistani channel which should adress the issue how refrendum is to be implemented today in accordance with UN resolutions.
There is however a very wonderful thing in Pakistan, their press is free...independent and new generation of journalist not afraid to call a spade a spade, which i am sure will make the youth of Pakistan more aware, and analytical. Surely then i will never see a young pakistani justifying terrorism, and supporting dictatorship.
Finally the young men on the show were emphatic that India was engaging in subversive activities in balochistan, they might not be entirely off mark, but the point is are we going to keep at it forever? We have already created an Aksai Chin and Bangladesh...let the new generation rise and say enough is enough. With Media on both sides of border taking up the mantle...I am sure that day isn't far.