The UNGA game CENJOWS 01 Oct 19
https://cenjows.gov.in/article-detail?id=214
The UNGA game CENJOWS 01 Oct 19
The UNGA week, watched throughout the sub-continent, where both Modi and Imran were present, has now ended. The excitement and drama have closed. It is time to take stock of what was intended, happened and its future impact. Modi went with the intention of selling brand India, expounding Indian development, its economic success, its enhanced role in global affairs and to some extent counter Pakistan’s game of accusing India on Kashmir.
Imran went with a single point agenda, Kashmir and its fallout. Somewhere along the route, possibly after the Houston rally, where Trump stated, ‘We are committed to protecting innocent civilians from the threat of radical Islamic terrorism’, justifying radical Islamic terrorism was added to Imran’s shallow basket of subjects.
Modi sold India like only he could. Kashmir hardly found a mention, as it was an internal matter and was thus within the grasp of the Indian foreign minister to handle on the international stage. He had much more on his plate, seeking investments, building relations and enhancing the power of the Indian diaspora in the US. At the UNGA, he exhorted the international community to stand united against terrorism, which he described as one of the biggest challenges not for any single country, but for the entire world. The Houston rally displayed the power of brand Modi.
Imran had nothing to sell. Pak was begging for funds, seeking to stay out of the FATF Blacklist and with the US-Taliban talks cancelled, the insecurity along its western borders continued. Historically, Pak has always used the UNGA platform to raise Kashmir and Imran did not disappoint. He went as far as threatening nuclear war over Kashmir, claiming Pak had limited choices when faced with Indian military might.
Imran also defended radical Islamic terrorism, stating it flowed from Islamophobia. He even linked Indian handling of Kashmir with it. Simultaneously he attempted to display a changed Pakistan by mentioning that there were no terrorist groups on its soil, and it sought peace with its neighbours.
As has been customary in the UN, India chose its right to respond to Pak’s statement, as Pak has always mentioned India in its address to the UNGA. As has been the norm, India tore Pak’s comments to shreds, leaving few in doubt of the intention of Imran Khan when he spoke. India also highlighted the existence of terrorist groups on Pak’s soil, proving Imran wrong.
The Indian statement included, ‘Unfortunately, what we heard today from Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan was a callous portrayal of the world in binary terms. Us vs Them; Rich vs Poor; North vs South; Developed Vs Developing; Muslims vs Others. A script that fosters divisiveness at the United Nations. Attempts to sharpen differences and stir up hatred, are simply put – “hate speech”.’ It also added, ‘coming from the leader of a country that has monopolized the entire value chain of the industry of terrorism, Prime Minister Khan’s justification of terrorism was brazen and incendiary.’
Pakistan sought its right for a rebuttal on the Indian statement. In its rebuttal the Pak representative stated, ‘It is strange that a country that has been engaged in the state’s terrorism in occupied Jammu and Kashmir for over 30 years has the temerity to accuse others of terrorism.’ He added, ‘It is obvious that India neither wants to face up to the truth about its abominable policies and actions nor does it want others to see it.’ Thus, both blamed the other for the current scenario.
During the entire week, there was equal drama being played out in press conferences, meetings and addresses to various groups and think tanks. While India expounded its brand, Pak only spoke of Kashmir and a nuclear fallout, claiming it was warning the world. At some point, Imran’s and his team’s nuclear war comments appeared to be repetitive and boring.
The SAARC foreign minister’s meeting, held on the side lines of the UNGA, was another display of both foreign ministers avoiding each other. Jaishankar stated, ‘elimination of terrorism is a precondition not only for fruitful cooperation but also for the very survival of the region itself’, while Qureshi mentioned his country will not engage with India “until and unless” it lifts the “siege” in Kashmir. Both avoided being present in the meeting at the same time. This was possibly in response to last year, when Sushma Swaraj, India’s foreign minister walked out before Qureshi was expected to speak.
Maximum focus remained on the reactions of the US, due to Trump’s contradictory statements on mediation, as also his attendance at the Houston rally. It was finally left for Alice Wells, acting assistant secretary of the bureau of South and Central Asian affairs to clear the air.
In her press conference, she played both sides carefully. While blaming Pak for enhanced rhetoric and ignoring the treatment of Uyghurs in China, she also hoped that India would lift the restrictions in Kashmir at the earliest. As had been mentioned by Trump, she cleared the air that the US has no plans to mediate and considers Kashmir to be a bilateral issue.
Outside the UN headquarters, there was another show in progress. Pak sponsored anti-India protestors held sway, alongside multiple other demonstrators, holding banners and accusing India of curbing Kashmiri freedom. Simultaneously, there were larger groups of anti-Pakistan protestors displaying photographs of Pak army genocide in Baluchistan, Waziristan, Gilgit Baltistan and Sindh. Hoardings were also visible from both sides in the Times Square. On one occasion a small aircraft flew over the Statue of Liberty behind which was a banner with the words, ‘free Baluchistan.’
What was finally achieved at the end of the week. Pakistan managed to muster three allies, Turkey, China and Malaysia, on whom it would bank on saving it from being Blacklisted at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting scheduled for mid-October.
On his interaction at the UNGA and the international stage, Imran summed up his side of the story in a press conference when he stated, ‘(I am) disappointed by the international community. If eight million Europeans or Jews or even eight Americans were put under siege, would the reaction have been the same? There is no pressure yet on Modi to lift the siege.’ He added, ‘The reason is India, people look upon India as a market of 1.2 billion people. Some are appalled by it but by the end of it, they think of it as a market.’
Modi achieved his goal of raising the image of India on the global stage. Despite failing to sign the trade deal with the US, it had enhanced its standing as a valuable US partner. India managed to play both sides, by attending the BRICS summit with China and the QUAD meeting with the US and other anti-China nations. However, the only drawback was that Kashmir did come to the forefront of the global stage after a prolonged period.
Post their return from UNGA, Modi made no comments, while Imran stated, ‘Whether the world stands with Kashmiris or not, Pakistan is standing by them.’ He added, ‘It (standing by Kashmiris) is jihad. We are doing it because we want Allah to be happy with us.’ Clearly, Pak is back to what it is best at, glorifying Jihad.
Domestically, both leaders won praise for their performance at the UN, while the media on the opposite side claimed the address of the adversary was devoid of truth and logic. The week is over, the drama of the UNGA has concluded, and it is back to business.
The only message which the two leaders conveyed together at the end of the UNGA week is that they have drifted further apart, and chances of talks, reconciliation and peace are distant. The relationship remains a stalemate and tensions are likely to continue. The next battle would be the FATF meeting in mid-October, where the Blacklisting of Pak would be discussed.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army