Desperate Measures

With a failure in mobilising global support for a spotlight on Kashmir, a dejected Pakistan may express its anguish by targetting India through terror outfits

- Shantanu Mukharji

Pakistan continues to be reel-ing under a sense of deep frustration due to its abys-mal failure in dealing with developments emanating in the aftermath of August 5 decision of the Indian Parliament, bringing structural changes in the erstwhile J&K making it and Ladakh as the two Union Territories. For the past three weeks, Pakistan has been crying hoarse in an apparent attempt to internationalize the Kashmir issue by mobilizing global support. During Prime Minister Modi’s talks (Aug 22) with the French President Emmanuel Marcon, the latter categorically clarified that there was no space for any third-party intervention in Kashmir. This not only signaled growing IndoFrench ties but more importantly, it meant a cold shoulder to Pakistan that France was clearly in favor of India on the matter of Kashmir, thus ending any hope that was lingering on part of Pakistan to elicit moral support from France.

Similarly, the US President’s message to Prime Minister Imran Khan was loud and clear when he called upon him to tone down rhetoric as part of a de-escalation effort to reduce belligerence amid growing Indo-Pak tension. This is indeed a set back to Pakistan on its ongoing Kashmir propaganda blitz.

Meanwhile, to cover up Pakistan’s inability to deal with the emerging developments in Kashmir, Imran Khan gave an interview to the New York Times very recently as part of a concerted PR exercise. There he ruled out any possibility of talks with India clarifying that his earlier overtures should not be seen as weakness or an approach for appeasement. However, this interview was not taken seriously by Pakistan’s domestic audience, who is already critical of Imran’s leadership for arresting his political adversaries, for muzzling the press, compromising the judiciary, and also for the government’s abject failure in tiding over the prevailing economic crisis.