August 5, 2020 marks the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. While India plans to celebrate the day, Pakistan PM Imran Khan may look to rake up anti-India sentiments to mark the day.
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As per the latest reports in various Indian media outlets, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly roped in the spy-agency – Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, in its 18-point plan to commemorate the Aug 5 anniversary of India scrapping Article 370.
The 18-point programme includes a visit by Imran Khan to Pakistan administered Kashmir where he is tentatively scheduled to address the assembly, a speech that is going to be beamed live. Before he reaches Muzaffarabad, Khan’s government intends a field trip for foreign journalists to the region.
Counter-terror officials in New Delhi told Hindustan Times that the campaign had been drawn up by the military for Imran Khan, right from documentaries, pamphlets and newspaper supplements that would be put out to the tweets that would be put out. But Imran Khan will front the campaign.
As earlier reported by EurAsian Times, India abrogated Article 370 last year. After the abrogation, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and was stripped of its special status and autonomy.
Ever since the repeal of Article 370, Imran Khan has brought up the situation of Indian administered Kashmir at the United Nations’ platform several times. However, more often than not, Islamabad has found no support amongst the international community.
PM Khan has only received support from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey and Malaysia, then led by former President Mahathir Mohamad. Since then, Malaysia appears to have changed its policy.
For Imran Khan’s elaborate plan for August 5, Islamabad has reached out to Kuala Lumpur, Ankara and Beijing to issue statements to commemorate the first anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir’s new status. Or at least tweet.
While Erdogan is suspected to oblige, New Delhi is watching how Malaysia plays. Kuala Lumpur has a new prime minister in Muhyiddin Yassin who took over as prime minister on 1 March.
The foreign ministry has been told to work closely with spy agency ISI on its diplomatic outreach to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member countries and international human rights groups, organising commemorative events – even rallies – at missions abroad and drafting a fresh memorandum to be handed over to the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan headquartered in Islamabad.
Regardless of Pakistan’s attempt to rake up anti-India sentiment, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has planned to celebrate ‘One India Campaign’ or ‘Ek Bharat, Ek Atma Bharat’.
