“KASHMIR remains a nuclear flashpoint … bilateral efforts have failed for 70 years … the international community intercedes forcefully to promote a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute,” writes Munir Akram, a veteran columnist and an authority on foreign affairs, in a recent Sunday issue of Dawn.

My point is who will come and help to resolve this issue? The US, Russia or China?

The US is on India’s side, so there is no way the US is going to help.

Russia is not as powerful as the US is, but it cleverly dragging the US once more in a cold war. Pakistan was against Russia in the USSR-Afghan war. So the shrewd Putin administration doesn’t back the Kashmiris or Pakistan.

China is making its presence felt peacefully in Europe and is trying to avoid a confrontation with the US. China is well aware of Pakistan’s two parallel government set-ups. China would support Pakistan diplomatically but would never be part of a conflagration at anytime.

So the Kashmir imbroglio needs a deep study and a clear strategy based on ground realities.

Ali Raza

Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2016