GRIEF BEYOND DESCRIPTION

The gruesome murder of more than twenty five humans, blameless tourists in a broad daylight in the serene, pristine valley of Kashmir is beyond the power to comprehend. They had come to spend money, benefit from the local hospitality and enjoy their vacations in the pure nature and scenic site of Pahalgam.

Why should they be killed? If the believers have firm confidence that there is the Day of Judgment, no God would approve it that His innocent subjects should be eliminated from Earth, on sheer accident of birth. It has no religious bearing, other than evading the reality under its wrap. There has been condemnation pouring in from all sides, including from secretary UN. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are observing black day. They denounce this gruesome act of massacre. Why has it happened?

It could be seen in the prison of sub continental developments. Fragile politics arousing communal passions by petty leaders witnessed around is auguring misfortune for all of us. Pakistan’s political instability in many states is on rise. The legitimacy of governing elite is under smog. With backing of General Asif Munir, it is dragging the country in the security state cut from civilized nations. That has made its own intellectual class upset. It has many critics, both in army as well as in the public. There are fissures opening out to the concerns against aggrandizement and lofty share in resources and accessibility to positions by Punjabi elite. Imran Khan, despite being most popular leader is languishing in jail. His imprisonment is a lived tale of state of affairs in Pakistan for the last seventy years. Since the world is globalised and well knit, it has given growing anxiety to the ruling establishment to stand to the public and international scrutiny. Competition is hard and comparisons are visible.

There are security concerns. China wants participatory security system of its installations in Pakistan, Pakistan does not accept it. China is losing patience with its skilled personnel losing their lives on regular basis. Gawadar port is turning into a headache for both the states. Regarding joint security set up; there is mounting resistance from the common people, who think it as an invasion into their religion and resources. The water settlement with Sindh is taking ugly turns. Unemployment, brain drain and life chances are becoming harder for a common person. Baloch resistance is threatening to the federation, turning bloodier and into an irrepressible insurgency. It sees international convergence of big powers interest in Baluchistan. The arrival of Donald Trump on the International scene has promoted the crisis, for he is being perceived as a mercurial leader, known for the deals rather than a President of conventional understanding. Both China and America have stakes in Baluchistan. Baluchistan has become its bleeding ground. Pakistan is in the middle of troubles arising from its political-historical instabilities. This time the fault lines are more severe than before. The unpopularity of civil government is also attributed to the unconstitutional functioning of its establishment, enjoying power than guarding the borders.

Therefore, its power elites need to divert the ruffled hard winds. India is easy target to arouse the communal sentiment. Bleed India, with Muslim card, so that India treads the same path of self destruction, as being done by Pakistan. Its remedial key is in the cannon of ‘Two Nation Theory’. It is easy to stymie the unemployed youth and sway illiterate people inside with religious fervor and woo over expatriates, who mostly, live on ‘imagined nationalism’. General Asif Munir’s lecture to expatriates was just to tie up all loose knots, which would otherwise affect his authority. His address, though derided by rational minds, could find purchase through his contrasting maneuverability. His understanding is that aggressive urges of people on the religious lines could take away the day to day concerns of common problems.

That can be pepped up easily in the name of ‘Two Nation Theory’. With one arrow, he had many angles to connect. While it is a checkmate to Imran Khan to win over his overseas supporters, at the same time, to keep India engaged in fighting subversion. The present mindset in Pakistan is to keep Kashmir on boil and Indian Muslims vocal against the ruling power at centre. It could force a bargain for seeking support against the Baloch uprising. They have been working on the plan. Substantially, they failed, despite rhetoric of some myopic leaders, by and large; people in India want to have peaceful coexistence. Kashmir refuses to be violent again. The Jammu region did not go Kashmir way.

The Indian Muslims have their own referents, rather than looking towards Pakistan. Its allure has died. The pluralism in India thrives. Despite visible limitations, democratization teaches evolving lessons to its leaders. Kashmiris opted for election and see lucrative engagement in new peaceful Kashmir. They have realized the dividends of peace. Since, there is huge disappointment for Pakistan; therefore in killing innocent Hindus, there is in fact, the indirect revenge of Kashmiris. It also reflects that all is not well in the file and ranks of Pakistani army. Some perceive it as a tacit hit on their general by his powerful critics in the army, who want to replace him. His recent utterances could be easily linked to the mayhem caused in Pahalgam, so that to make him petty in the international image, leading a rigid security state with lot of vulnerabilities.

Country’s image flourishes in peace and development. Our directions have to be right. Each one has to own this country for the good of our future generations. Let politics be accommodative, rather than divisive. The nation has to stand the test of endurance and oneness, both in joy and grief.

Prof. Ashok Kaul, Emeritus Professor Sociology,Banaras Hindu University