Opinion | G-20 Summit Is A Matter of Great Pride

The Jammu and Kashmiri younger generation wanted an economic stability whether it be of present, past and the unborn kids of the future.

The Indian Army kept strolling on and on in the entire of the most remote areas, groomed them, taught them and fed them in the period when everything was against the common people.

The propaganda mills in Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Karachi were hell bent on destroying Jammu and Kashmir.

Heaven on Earth was shown to them as the loud speakers from Muridke, Muzaffarabad, Nakial and many other places elsewhere blared out something that was unpleasant and the unkindest cut. It kept happening till 25 years less than a century ago! How it happened I do not have to tell because the readers know it.

Let us be practical Pakistan is a devastated state today. With their army and nuclear might as their generals bloat over this fact they are in drowning wreckage syndrome.

We can only hope that the Kashmiris try to understand that.

My Sister-in- Law right from childhood said, (she was even or perhaps nine years of age told me that time). Kul Bhai you are in the wrong profession, ‘Mere Daddy Ki Tarah Principal Auur Professor’ Her father and her daddy were the greatest and thickest of Pals in their Childhood! Both are no more but I did marry her sister). Now I think that writing about good things in life is a better option then just following the shadows of the past.

Just a couple of days back in an informal talk on the phone she told me, ‘one earth means conserving the planet; one family means protecting the vulnerable; and one future means ensuring everyone can prosper. (As a then a girl now a lady), I am delighted and excited that India is hosting the G20 summit in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

‘That this event can be held in the heart of Kashmir Valley is hugely significant. Although long-disturbed, this land has become remarkably more peaceful and is increasingly integrated with the rest of the nation. I do not know why she spoke this but I could make out! She had lost her mother (My mother-in-Law) And my wife was wailing! But life carries on! But as she boarded the aero plane from Jammu airport she did say, ‘teaching students large heartedly should have been your profession!’It could have been for many but most could not make it in the past in Jammu and Kashmir but boys and girls in abundance will do that as the future of Jammu and Kashmir unfolds.

‘This one line initiated from Northern Command was enough to start the story. With the upcoming G20 summit in Jammu and Kashmir, the territory is set to become a hub of business and investment opportunities.’! We knew the beginning and thus the climax was not far off from our reach.

A few facts that come to our mind go as follows. This is happening in our, previously a state and now a Union Territory for the first time.

For Kashmiris, hosting the G20 summit is a matter of great pride. Kashmir Valley can showcase its stunning beauty, its rich culture and extraordinary tourism potential to the rest of the world. In particular, young people are excited to be the center of world attention in a positive manner, and they relish the idea of engaging with world leaders and top thinkers.

But there could be more in the offing. Beyond momentary engagement, Kashmiris see the G20 summit as a milestone on the path of economic development.

In the past, Kashmir was linked to troubled hotspots in the world such as Palestine and Chechnya, but that story is changing dramatically. Kashmir is now largely peaceful, has an educated population and grew by 14.64% in the 2021-22 fiscal year when many economies were reeling from COVID-19. Note that India’s fiscal year begins on 1 April and ends on 31 March. Growth in the 2022-23 fiscal year is expected to be higher. Kashmiris want the jobs and prosperity, not to mention momentum for peace, that growth will bring.

They always wanted that. The population of Kashmir Valley is youthful, and the young are no longer mired in conflict. They care more for the environment, the pollution in Dal Lake, the sustainability of economic growth, climate change that is melting the Himalayan glaciers and the delicate ecology of their uniquely beautiful valley. Fundamentally, the young want to get on with their lives and know a better future can come only with peace, not conflict.

Wish that this realization would have come before the last four decades which was nothing but horror personified! But things have changed now. Hopefully Pakistan also realizes that.

‘I have an interesting anecdote to tell here. My Sister-in-Law’s younger daughter, Sonia had gone on a tour to Spain (the reason was that she has taken Spanish as her second language but she is also good at Catalan, Galician and Basque. She (Sonia had sent us a few pics of her Spain Trip that her school had opted for the Spanish learning students! When she returned back to  Delaware (home), I had a chance to converse with her. I asked her, ‘who are the other two girls with you in almost all the pictures, the reply elicited my heart;they are both from my place in Jammu and Kashmir and mom (Nidhi my Sister-in-Law) and their mom’s are great friends. One picture did stun me, ‘they were all eating food from the same plate. Sonia referred to it as Paella is perhaps the most famous Spanish dish of all. She did mention Authentic paella originates from the region around Valencia, and comes in two varieties: Paella Valenciana, with rabbit and chicken; and seafood paella. The theorem, ‘world is one family’ just returned into my brain and thereafter the conclusion was ready. One was Sonia the other two Sadaf and Maheen (both from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Since 1947, Pakistan has played a pernicious role in Kashmir, sent jihadis across the border and stoked a bloody insurgency. This role is well chronicled and does not bear repetition here; however, Pakistan’s actions have setback a generation of Kashmiris.

Growth does not thrive in turmoil and uncertainty, and peace and stability are necessary preconditions for businesses to thrive. Thankfully, the Indian government has provided the right conditions for entrepreneurship, business activity and growth since 2019. By repealing Article 370, it has allowed non-Kashmiri Indians to own land in Jammu and Kashmir, causing investment to flood into the region. This has made Kashmiris like me optimistic about the future.

The G20 summit has been a godsend to Kashmir Valley. To prepare for the event, New Delhi is building infrastructure, investing significant sums and training local people. The multiplier effect of the summit is likely to be significant. People now forget that Delhi was a sleepy provincial city before the 1982 Asian Games.

That event converted Delhi into a national engine of growth, and it is hoped the G20 summit will similarly transform Srinagar.

The G20 summit is a global signal that Kashmir is open for business. It will be a great advertisement for tourism, which was a driver of the Kashmiri economy before troubles broke out in 1989. Kashmir is the crown of India with snow-clad mountains, pine trees, lakes, landscapes, saffron fields and exquisite gardens.

It is home to sophisticated cuisine, refined crafts and rich culture. For good reason, it has been called the Switzerland of India. Now it will have an opportunity to achieve its tourism and economic potential.

The message was great from the center and for the people of Jammu and Kashmir it will broaden their vision. The more you look at the world vision you are going to get! This message was not conveyed to them before. Obviously it is time for the people to shed off the cloaks of horrors of the past three and a half decades.

– The writer can be reached at msnazki123@gmail.com