SHARIF'S ATTEMPTS

The main significance of his speech was to highlight the Kashmir issue and that the purpose of the Kargil intrusion has been served. He reiterated that the "Kashmiris' spirit of freedom" could not be crushed. "They will continue their struggle. Freedom is their right. Pakistan masses will be with them as long as they get their right. We will never leave them alone," he said. Referring to the Lahore declaration, Sharif stated that not only the people of Pakistan and India but the international community had also entertained hopes after the Lahore declaration in February that the two countries, with the record of the world's most long-standing tension, will now move on the path of peace. He appreciated the views expressed by Indian prime minister, Vajpayee, to bury the past bitterness and attitudes and enter into a new era of mutual relations. Nawaz Sharif said it had been his constant effort to save the two peoples from a nuclear war. "Only someone with intention of collective suicide can start such a war, but I have no such intention. I also figure out that Prime Minister Vajpayee also has no such intention," he said. But at the same time he added that the Indian attitude gave the feeling that it was rapidly heading towards a war.

He also tried to draw attention to the miserable conditions of the people of Pakistan, which he said would be compounded once the fighting escalates.

Nawaz Sharif has tried to argue that the very purpose of the Kargil intrusion has been served. He pointedly referred to the "personal interest" that Clinton has promised on the Kashmir issue. This has brought the Kashmir issue to the fore, he emphasised. This is what we of the CPI(M) have all along been warning about -- against the internationalisation of the Kashmir problem.

After the meeting of the DGMOs of the two countries, withdrawal of the intruders from the Kargil area is now taking place.

CRUCIAL FACTS HIDDEN

Nawaz Sharif's speech, however, has hidden three crucial facts. Firstly, Pakistan has been consistently encouraging terrorist activities in Kashmir and also trying to supplement these by encouraging terrorism in Punjab. Secondly, by committing to withdrawal, he has indirectly conceded that Pakistan's regular forces were fighting the battle in Kargil. The third is what the government of India seeks to underplay i e, the "personal interest" to be shown by President Clinton.

Pakistan is known to have been running camps to train extremists in order to encourage insurgency in Punjab and Kashmir. Punjab has suffered huge losses of lives and property due to the activities of the extremists. In Kashmir, during the last ten years, Pakistan has tried to encourage the forces which they call Mujahideen. In Kargil, however, it was clear that it was the Pakistani army regulars who were doing the real fighting whereas the Mujahideen were only acting as porters or doing odd jobs.

India's former foreign secretary, J N Dikshit, who is also the member of the National Security Council, told The Asian Age that Pakistan has succeeded in its goal of internationalising Kashmir. He said inspite of its military defeat and short-term isolation, Pakistan has been able to lay the basis of such internationalisation.

Even after the withdrawal, the activities of the extremists have not been stopped. The attack on the BSF camp in Kashmir on July 13, in which four persons including one DIG were killed and a number of persons were taken hostage (though they were later rescued), is an indicator to this. A real and meaningful dialogue can take place only if these activities are stopped. We are not here going into the aspects of the case of Pakistan. Pakistan's claim over Kashmir is merely on the basis of a common religion. It does not have any other ground. Once the instrument of accession (provided by the Mountbatten Award) was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh, the accession of Kashmir to India was final. It was only after the accession that Jammu and Kashmir set up a separate Constituent Assembly, adopted a separate flag and enjoyed other powers guaranteed under article 370 of the Indian constitution.

BILATERAL ISSUE

Pakistani rulers go on harping on UN resolutions on Kashmir. After three wars, it has to be understood that such issues can be settled only through peaceful means, bilaterally between the two countries. During the Shimla talks Pakistan was agreeable to accept and settle on the line of control (LoC). Since they were defeated and Z A Bhutto had come for the release of prisoners and to settle the broad question of mutual relations, it was not possible to settle the issue at that time. Later on, many imperialist powers tried to meddle in the matter. However, it was repeatedly emphasised that this is a bilateral issue that has to be settled between the two countries. This was also emphasised in the Lahore declaration.

But now it has become clear that even when the Lahore declaration was being signed, Pakistan had been making preparations for its intrusion in Kargil. It was this breach of faith that led to its condemnation by the whole world. In an article in The News on June 26, Lt Gen Nasir, former ISI chief, said that the "Muhajideen" with minimum five years of "combat experience" were selected for the Kargil operation, with preference being given to veterans of the Afghan jehad. He claimed that "They occupied the vacant Kargil heights as early as January-February this year and kept building stock and improving defence for the next four months." He said he had "implored" the army to intercept the Srinagar-Drass road to make things "more difficult for the Indians in Siachen." He said the militants had executed a brilliant plan. "They do not believe in interdiction of Indian lines of communication by artillery alone. They moved in physically and are now overlooking Kargil-Drass road to interdict it permanently."

The purpose of this article is not to nail down what is the responsibility of the government of India for allowing such a situation to develop, or its intelligence failure, because it was taken off guard by the euphoria following the Lahore declaration.

AMERICAN DESIGN

During the course of this whole battle in Kargil, it became evident that America was active throughout to try to get itself involved. Soon after the G-8 summit at Cologne, President Clinton sent the US Chief of Central Command, General Zinni, to Islamabad for talks with the Pakistani leadership. The US team also visited New Delhi. This visit was followed by the visit of Pakistan's foreign minister, Sartaj Aziz, to New Delhi. What transpired in these talks has not been made public. The American aim was to bail out Pakistan from the indefensible position and try to manoeuvre a role for itself.

Even after the Clinton-Sharif statement, however, the Indian government is unable to realise the dangers of US involvement. US imperialism has always advocated plebiscite for the Kashmiri people in the name of self-determination. Under such a plebiscite people would be given the option to choose to remain in India, to go with Pakistan or remain independent of both. The US has always encouraged the concept of an independent Kashmir, as it is strategically located, bordering India, China and Pakistan. Except for making a statement that India will not accept any third party mediation, the BJP government is oblivious of the US motivations. In a unipolar world, the US is trying to impose its hegemony throughout the world. This has not to be lost sight of. The merciless bombing of Yugoslavia for months together is a very recent example of how the US imposes its will. After the dismemberment of the countries of Eastern Europe, now it has turned its attention towards Yugoslavia.

In the meanwhile, even while the intruders are being withdrawn, the Pakistan prime minister has said many more such Kargils will happen as long as the Kashmir question remains unresolved. Sharif has not made any commitment to stop training or supporting the extremist and fundamentalist elements and sending them into Kashmir. Unless this too is stopped, the process of dialogue to restore peace cannot start in an atmosphere of mutual faith.

The BJP and the government led by it, which were lulled into complacency after the Lahore bus trip and declaration, woke to a rude shock after the intrusion in Kargil was detected. It was because of this callous neglect that many precious lives were lost in the battle to recover the Kargil heights. Our armed forces have played a glorious role in defeating the nefarious game of the enemy in the face of adverse conditions.

The Indian government should now put its act together and force Pakistan to reverse its policy, which is responsible for creating tension in the region. Only then can some meaningful talk take place, leading to solving the Kashmir issue. If, on the other hand, the government of India yields to the pressure of the US, the matter will go out of its hands, and the whole issue will get internationalised. It should caution itself against falling into such a trap.