Rhetoric—- Mr Bhutto

Pakistan has done it again and this time, it has been done by none other than Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who now happens to be the country’s Foreign Minister. While representing his country at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Bilawal commented on the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent delimitation exercise in J&K. As a young man in the entire federal cabinet of Pakistan, it was expected that he would have forward and progressive thinking over the issue and its handling which has been there, remaining as a bone of contention between the two countries, but it panned out differently where Bilawal was seen toeing his party line, obviously to woo Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) voters.

It is to be remembered that Bilawal is still being trolled over his ‘Kanpe Tang Rahe Hai’ uttering in Pakistan while former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan used to troll him in public gatherings—up on a different, pro-level. The same should be enough to demonstrate how seriously these statements made about Kashmir and that too at UNSC must have been taken across the board. Bilawal blasted out and termed the abrogation of Article 370 as an assault on UNSC, its resolutions as well as the Geneva Convention, and even went on to say that these actions, by India, have made it difficult for Pakistan to hold dialogue.

The statements made by the Pakistan Foreign Minister are not only mediocre but also do not carry any weight. The uttering of Kashmir at UNSC at the same time highlights the inability and incapability of the leadership of Pakistan to handle its issues with India and indirectly get along and reach a common ground concerning Kashmir. Pakistan at the same time needs to understand that if India is not ready to come to the dialogue table, the same won’t be detrimental for it, but it can and it is turning out to be quite precarious for Pakistan.

Keeping in view the present geopolitical standing of countries in Asia, particularly in the sub-continent, India, and Pakistan, both are sliding away, one towards China and another towards the US. Pakistan’s slant, however, during Imran Khan’s tenure was more towards China, but the same is now being fixed by the current regime, while India has always maintained apparent neutrality.

The point here is that Pakistan cannot sustain itself in isolation and there is a need for engagement with India—which is going to be in the interest of Pakistan—and for that to be achieved, the leadership in Pakistan has to be forward-thinking, they need to pitch for what is achievable, rather than spitting in the air to ultimately have it all on their faces. The time has come to let the rhetoric go and come out with matters that are pragmatic, and doable for the betterment of both the countries.