Peace process stumbles again

IN the buildup to UN General Assembly session, there was never really a doubt that Pakistan would continue to push Kashmir issue on the global stage and seek intervention by world community to resolve this longstanding dispute with India.

After Wani’s killing in Kashmir spurred a new uprising against Indian government, Pakistan had successfully highlighted the plight of Kashmiris and exposed Indian atrocities in the region.

India was certainly feeling immense pressure over weeks of deadly violence in the valley, but then the attack on an Indian army base in Uri happened.

India prematurely blamed a Pakistanbacked militant group for the attack, heightening tensions between the two sides and even creating the possibility of a military conflict.

Despite the Uri incident, Pakistan’s premier Sharif continued with hectic diplomacy at the UN session, reiterating that peace between Pakistan and India was “not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue.”

He further urged the UN to demilitarize Jammu and Kashmir region and implement its own resolutions on Kashmir.

Recent escalation in tensions validate Pakistan’s stance that Kashmir is the real bone of contention between the two neighbors. Any efforts to normalize relations or build trust will not bear fruit till the end of this dispute.

In the presence of hawkish elements on both sides, there is always the risk of taking one step forward but retreating two steps back if Kashmir is excluded from any future peace dialogue.

The timing of Uri attack, in particular, led to conclusions by Pa k i s t a n i media that this was an “inside job” by India itself or could be a reaction to Indian brutalities in Kashmir. To a certain extent, the