Without addressing cross-border terrorism, Germany’s support for Pakistan by advocating for a UN involvement in Kashmir reeks of jealousy of India’s strategic independence and Islamabad’s leverage over Berlin to free loyal Afghans from the Taliban-run Emirate.India has already expressed its significant disagreement with Germany’s public projection of its “role and responsibility with regards to the situation in Kashmir” made last Friday in the presence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the visiting Pakistani counterpart. However, the 41-year-old Minister decided to disregard the terror and carnage that Pakistan-based terrorist organisations have been committing against the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir since the 1990s.
Foreign Minister Baerlock’s criticism of India regarding Kashmir during the joint press conference with Pakistani Minister Zardari, according to Berlin observers, was motivated by Islamabad’s leverage over Berlin in order to move Afghans who had served with the German forces during the US-led occupation of Afghanistan for the previous 20 years to safer climates in Germany. While thousands of Afghans are anticipated to immigrate to Germany, Berlin also wants Islamabad to examine and restrict Sunni Pashtun refugees. The German Foreign Minister’s sanctimonious engagement in the Kashmir conflict serves more of his own interests than the greater good of the Valley people, as Pakistan is eager to offer it to Germany as it has in the past.The Shehbaz Sharif administration continues to focus on the K-word because to vote-bank politics and rivalry, even though Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Qamar Bajwa avoided the topic of Kashmir in his Saturday speech and spoke instead of peace. Germany is also upset with the Modi government for not supporting the western position on the Ukraine war that Berlin has been advocating. While Germany has led the charge in putting Russia’s military and economy on the defensive in response to the invasion of Ukraine, India has taken a strategically independent stance that supports an end to hostilities on both sides. Both the Ukrainian president and the president of Russia have heard India’s position clearly.Close allies US and France were informed of India’s position on the Ukraine war and its requirements, but it was evident that Germany sought to punish India for not siding with the west on the conflict. The aggressive stance taken by QUAD against China, the country that buys the most Audi and Mercedes automobiles, has also hurt German auto sales and exports.
A former Indian foreign minister claims that the German government is also jealous of India’s expanding global influence since US President Joe Biden, in a speech to the UNGA last month, signalled support for India, Japan, and Brazil in the larger UN Security Council. Despite being a NATO partner and a significant European power, Biden declined to support Berlin’s bid for a larger UN Security Council seat.
While Minister Zardari may have scored a big diplomatic victory with his request that the UN play a role in the conflict in Kashmir, the relevant 1948 resolution 47 has lost all legal force and effect because Pakistan did not abide by all of its terms in form and spirit.
