These days, Modi has orchestrated a sham election in occupied Kashmir. These elections are set to take place in three phases across areas that were divided following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The first phase has already been completed. The BJP is going all out to win these elections, claiming that they have eradicated terrorism and restored peace in the region.
They are also touting the narrative that under their rule, Kashmiris have become prosperous and all their grievances have been addressed. However, the Kashmiris dismiss this as Modi’s propaganda, asserting that the valley still resembles a prison. The Indian military presence is so overwhelming that every Kashmiri is under their watch. All the leaders and activists of the Hurriyat movement have either been imprisoned or are under house arrest. Only pro-India Kashmiris are actively campaigning for the elections, with parties like Farooq Abdullah’s and Mehbooba Mufti’s being the most active.
Farooq Abdullah has the support of Rahul Gandhi and is trying to win over Kashmiris by promising to reinstate Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, restoring the region to its previous status. On the other hand, senior BJP leader Amit Shah has rejected Farooq Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi’s claims, stating that no power can restore Kashmir’s previous status. He reiterated the old rhetoric that “Kashmir is an integral part of India.” He also issued a warning to Pakistan, claiming that India will soon annex what they call “POK” (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir).
The unfortunate reality is that Modi has turned Kashmir into his personal domain, trampling over United Nations Security Council resolutions, while the UN remains silent, as the world’s major powers back India. Regrettably, Pakistan, which has historically declared Kashmir a disputed territory and has championed the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, has remained silent. This silence may be why some Kashmiris have also grown quiet, with even some pro-freedom Kashmiris participating in these elections. Perhaps they feel that Pakistan, embroiled in its own internal crises, is in no position to help them. If Pakistan continues to remain mired in its internal issues and the country continues to deteriorate, it will greatly benefit India.
Modi, now in his third term as Prime Minister, has a hidden agenda to divide Pakistan into smaller pieces, or at the very least, attempt to seize Azad Kashmir. Many BJP leaders regularly issue threats to take over Azad Kashmir, but these are not just empty threats; they are actively preparing for it. Currently, a ceasefire is in place in Kashmir, which India offered, likely because they needed peace along the LOC to make their preparations. Now that they have that peace, the question is, what should Pakistan do in response? First, Pakistan must stabilize internally to improve its image globally.
Recently, terrorist attacks on buses carrying diplomats in Swat have revived memories of the severe terrorism that plagued the country a decade ago. Our security forces become highly active after such incidents. If only they were more proactive in preventing these incidents from happening in the first place by monitoring the mountainous regions and roads, terrorists would not have the audacity to carry out such attacks.
As for the terrorists behind this attack, they are likely agents of our enemies. It would have been better if the diplomats’ travel plans had remained secret. It seems that agents of India’s intelligence agency, RAW, played a significant role in this incident, especially as the TTP has distanced itself from the attack.
Now, the question arises: how has RAW’s influence increased within Pakistan? The likely reason is that our intelligence agencies have become so entangled in political matters that they may not be paying enough attention to these critical issues. India wants to keep Pakistan in a state of perpetual instability and is taking revenge for Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiris by spreading terrorism within our borders. This helps them maintain control over occupied Kashmir. There has been little protest from our side regarding the ongoing elections in occupied Kashmir. However, the results will be falsified because Kashmiris will never compromise on their right to self-determination.