Hindu humanitarian Sri Ravi Shankar, the so-called peace icon, arrived in Pakistan on 12th March for 3 days with an aim to urge the leadership of two neighbouring nuclear powers of South Asia to find peaceful solutions of all the outstanding issues by promoting friendship, understanding and dialogue. Before he embarked on such mission, it appears he did not identify the major irritants. He is not the first person who has come from India on good will and friendship mission. I am in my 70s and remember the flurry of exchanges and visits from both sides since 1947 to promote friendship and to ensure cordial relations between these two nuclear charged countries. Both countries have fought four wars plus innumerable border skirmishes since independence. Such visits can never bear fruit unless the major issues like Kashmir dispute and rivers water control are not resolved. India is not prepared to talk on Indian held Kashmir as their constitution shows the entire Kashmir as part of India (Atoot Ang). According to the India Independence Act of 1947, the division of India has not been fair at the time of Partition. Kashmir was and is Muslim majority area but the ruler was a Hindu who asked the military support from India at the time of partition. India exploited his helplessness and sent its troops after getting a fake accession deed signed from him and got the control of Jammu and Kashmir. It was a very big conspiracy which must be investigated and the people of both the countries should be told about the facts. Similarly, India after taking the control of three western rivers i.e Ravi, Sutlaj and Beas, they are now diverting the water of three eastern rivers i.e Indus, Jhelum and Chenab which were supposed to be used by Pakistan. India is violating all the water accords and agreements and is bent upon making Pakistan a barren country. The Chenab river flow has been severely interrupted due to Indian's filling of Baghliar-1 reservoir. Similarly, they have plans to divert the waters of all the three western rivers to irrigate Rajisthan. They are violating the Bye-Laws of International Commission for Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) by stopping flow of waters to Pakistan for irrigation purposes. So what do they expect from us in such peace missions. It is preposterous to expect a friendly hand from Pakistan and I feel it is a cruel joke on Pakistan to send such peace icon or a delegation without doing something positive for Pakistan. It is a pity that Pakistan has granted India MFN (most favoured nation) status! What favour India has done to Pakistan ever since the Independence. The Indian government and the RAW have left no stone unturned to harm Pakistan and perhaps have not reconciled with the creation of Pakistan. They should come with two point agenda only: One to resolve long outstanding Kashmir Issue and two, the control of waters of rivers flowing into Pakistan, to ensure peace in the region.
MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA,
Lahore, March 13.