Imran stumbles on Kashmir ambitions

Pakistan PM failed to evoke global action against India, despite China’s backing. World leaders may now push for peace

- G PARTHASARATHY

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s rhetoric and actions after the change in the Constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, have verged on being both hysterical and melodramatic. Barely a day after the decision, Imran Khan called a meeting of his National Security Committee, comprising amongst others his Foreign, Interior and Defence Ministers, armed forces chiefs and the Director General of the ISI.

The Committee duly called India’s move to revoke the “Special Status” of Kashmir “unilateral and illegal”, and decided to suspend bilateral trade with India. It forgot that the move would amount to a flea-bite for India and only cause problems for the balance of payment problems Pakistan itself was facing.

In another statement issued on the same day, Pakistan’s Foreign Office proclaimed: “Pursuant to the decision of the National Security Committee today, the Government of India has been told to withdraw its High Commissioner to Pakistan. The Indian Government has also been informed Pakistan will not be sending its High Commissioner (Designate) to India.”

Garnering support

Imran declared that Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14 will be observed as a “day of solidarity” with Kashmiris, whereas India’s Independence Day on August 15 would be observed as a “Black Day”. The Urdu media was encouraged to go ballistic and even hysterical, forecasting doom for India and demanding the UN acts immediately against India.