Article Written by Afzaal Chaudhary Malera
Many new states came into being after the breakdown of USSR in which Armenia and Azerbaijan were also included. They had a bone of contention in 90’s when Armenia captured the Nagorno Karabakh of Azerbaijan’s territory. From then the Nagorno Karabakh is a disputed territory and it’s population were mostly Muslims, many migrated due to the atrocities of Armenian army where on the other hand thousands muslims were killed including women and children. Six thousand people were shot dead in a single row, single day. Armenia captured the region and turned down the historical Agdam Mosque into a stable and profaned it. There were snaps which spread like wildfire on internet in which it can be seen pigs, donkeys and other animals tied around the manaret and inside the mosque. There are skirmishes between Armenian army and native muslims but now a war has been started between both countries which is severe than the previous four days war. United Nations’s resolutions clearly depicts that Nagorno Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan and Armenian Army’s worth as invaders.
Turkey and Pakistan released statements that as always we’re with Azerbaijan. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyab Erdogan said that we’re with Azerbaijan’s brothers and the stark threat to this region is Armenia. Even Turkey’s fighter jets were in Azerbaijan for defence exercises which acted as hanging sword on the head of Armenia. Armenia’s defence minister claimed that Turkey’s F16 turned their fighter jet into rubble but Turkey denied this release. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Ilyev met with Pakistan’s representatives group and released a statement “On this very moment it’s very important who is standing with us in this perilous time, we expected this support from Pakistan and Pakistani brothers stood with us and we shall never forget that. Tell my message to the government of Pakistan and all Pakistanis.” In 90’s Russia sent the artillery equipment to Armenia via Iran. But now situation is odd. Iran’s Supreme leader released a statement that “I hope that Azerbaijan will free it’s territory from Armenia’s capture.
I pray to Allah Almighty that Azerbaijan will succeed and we get good news.” It’s very important that this clearly depicts the Iran’s foreign policy, flexible not rigid against Azerbaijan as it was in past. Russia, America and France emphasized that there must be unconditional dialogue between both countries, in reaction to which Ilham Ilhayev said ” We didn’t have another thirty years this must be dealt now and solved.” Ilham Ilahayev clearly sent a message that they will won’t stop untill the freedom of Nagorno Karabakh. President Ilham Ilhayev answered a question in an interview that they will not accept the unconditional ceasefire or stalemate, if this happens then there will be conditions and countries which are offering as arbiters would tell the Armenia and give them a time frame to leave the region and countries must assure this. Amnesty International only showed the pictures of Armenia, biased reporting not paying a visit to Azerbaijan and it’s affected areas.
Amnesty International accused the Azerbaijan that she was using cluster bombs against Armenia which is clearly against the International Law. This might be due to that Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Ilhayev accused and labelled the Amnesty International as a biased institution because it didn’t report on the affected areas of Azerbaijan and it’s only working in specific countries. But I wonder when America bombarded cluster bombs upon Iraq and Afghanistan they why didn’t Amnesty International interrupted. America may be a superpower but she isn’t above the International law.President of Azerbaijan wasn’t happy with the role of United Nations and concluded ” In some matters, United Nations takes no time to solve them but in our case there is merely paperwork, no implementation at all”. Azerbaijan’s government knows very well that they’ve to get through this on their own. United Nations and other International community won’t help them as it is waiting for thirty years as Pakistan is looking forward for the International community to solve the dispute of Kashmir for seventy years. Azerbaijan’s General said that our army has a high morale and we’re going into war with victorious attitude.
High morale plays a great role in winning a war because every soldier goes with the energy and believe that they will outcast their foes. Other fortunate thing for Azerbaijan is that the whole country is on one page. If we want freedom for Kashmir like the people trying to free Nagorno Karabakh, it’s the time to show the solidarity. They got it from the start that they’ve to free themselves on their own, only arms talk can solve not the dialogue. Pakistan opted dialogue for Kashmir issue for previous seven decades but the situation is getting worse and worse. Like Nagorno Karabakh there are resolutions in United Nations regarding the Kashmir but there is no implementation. Pakistan must adopt a fully fledged policy regarding Kashmir because dialogue didn’t garnered any fruit. India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers if there is a war between them then there would be different consequences unlike the Armenia and Azerbaijan. It will impact on global level but freedom always comes from sacrifices.
In freeing Kahsmir the right moment is very necessary because as Azerbaijan giving a tough call to Armenian when the Europe is entangled with new wave of Covid-19, America being the bankrupt, and is also busy with the Presidency elections. Azerbaijan’s army recaptured more than two dozen places like Fazuli and Gabriel and other places. Azerbaijan recaptured also the place where their hero Mobariz Ibrahimov took his last breath whilst fighting. There’s hope that this war will be concluding one and muslims of Nagorno Karabakh would be free. But it is crystal clear that if Azerbaijan get her place back then the oppressed countries won’t be able to trust the International institutions. At the same time, I fear that the oppressed nations of the world will give priority to war over negotiations, as had been the case before international organizations such as the The League of Nations and The United Nations
