Defense and strategic experts and civil society representatives while speaking to a webinar on Kashmir situation pointed out lack of consistency and innovative approaches as the missing elements in our diplomatic efforts to mainstream and to support the Kashmir cause. They also urged the need to have cultural diplomacy that we don’t believe in while nations have successfully used it to penetrate in multicultural societies.
The webinar was organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) in connection with the “Yaum-e-Istehsal” being marked by the Pakistan government to highlight the Indian atrocities in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) after the India revoked their Constitutional Articles 370 and 35-A last year.
The speakers included defense and strategic analyst Lt General (Retd) Talat Masood, Senator Lt. General (Retd) Abdul Qayyum, Vice President of the Kashmir Movement Worldwide (UK) Ghaffar Shahid, senior journalist and former vice president National Press Club Dr. Sadia Kamal, web TV host and poet Syeda Saima Kamran and Shaaref Munir from the Özye?in University, Istanbul (Turkey). Devcom-Pakistan Director Munir Ahmed hosted and conducted the webinar.
Lt General (Retd) Talat Masood said Pakistan has always been putting its best effort to mainstream the Kashmir cause but could not get desired results. The weaknesses in the methodology included integrated consistency, unconventional way of doing it, slumber diplomatic practices and weak political, economic and financial status of the country.
Senator Lt General (Retd) Abdul Qayyum said Prime Minister Imran Khan is a towering sports personality well respected across the globe. He could have projected the Kashmir cause very well by visiting his counterparts across the globe, but his preference has been indulging in conflicts with the opposition on pity issues. Still he has the chance to prove a leader at par excellence in engaging the world leaders to propagate the Kashmir issue and gather required support. “Our foreign missions do not play their role in what is required for the national interest. Parliamentary committees are only advisory instruments; they only suggest the government to take certain steps but cannot force the government hierarchy. It’s their priority agenda. However, the establishment and army may push the government to take some necessary steps on the Kashmir issue. He urged media and civil society and Pakistani communities living in different parts of the world to keep pursuing the agenda for national interest.”
