Two interesting developments lately took place in Indo-Pak relations that have the potential to change the discourse on Kashmir. For the second time since the central government abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, a closed-door meeting was held at the United Nations on the prevailing situation in the erstwhile state and the gradual build-up of tensions in the South Asian subcontinent. According to reports, the meeting on January 15 was called at the behest of China, which is a permanent member of the Security Council, and the detention of Valley-based politicians, including three former chief ministers, the continuing clampdown on communication networks among other issues came up for discussion. This comes after the BJP-led centre, in line with its political manifesto, , literally stripped the border region of its autonomy by abrogating the Article 370 of the constitution that gave exclusive rights to the state subjects of Jammu and Kashmir in matters of land and government jobs. Obviously the Beijing’s move to support its ‘all-weather friend’ at such an important platform has not gone down well in New Delhi. After the meeting, Beijing said it must now encourage the two nuclear armed neighbours to talk with each other and resolve their issues bilaterally. However, a spokesperson of the union external affairs ministry said the attempt was made by the neighbouring country (Pakistan) “through a UNSC member” (China) to “misuse the platform” of the international body for “peddling baseless allegations and present an alarming scenario” of the situation in J&K. The spokesperson said United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was “not the right forum for such issues and it should be discussed bilaterally.” Has New Delhi finally come to a realization that talks are the only way out of the conundrum called Kashmir? Is it possible that the BJP-led central government, which has increasingly rallied voters around the issues of a very narrow understanding of nationalism and patriotism, will tone down its rhetoric and get down to serious business with Islamabad? The second development is the announcement of the external affairs ministry that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will be invited to the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which is being hosted by India this year. In that case, if Khan attends the meeting, will it pave way for scripting a new chapter in Indo-Pak relations? Given the long history of troubled relations between the two countries, this is like expecting the unexpected.

But then, hope sustains humanity.