India's new 'map'.

INDIA's expansionist intention has manifested itself in another dangerous move three months into New Delhi's attempt to formally annex India-held Kashmir. The Modi setup has come up with a fanciful new 'map', in violation of recognised geographical boundaries. This malevolent scheme deliberately identifies Azad Kashmir as well as certain areas of Gilgit-Baltistan as Indian territory.

Read: Pakistan rejects 'incorrect, legally untenable' political maps issued by India

Pakistan has dismissed the attempt as 'incorrect and legally untenable', and termed the political map as one that violates UN resolutions. Islamabad has also reiterated that 'no step by India could change the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir as recognised by the United Nations', and has vowed that it will continue to support the just struggle of the Kashmiris.

Having gone through the ritual, however, the Imran Khan government should introspect to see whether it could have better pursued an international diplomatic campaign aimed at discouraging an increasingly aggressive India's adventurism. This is no easy task, but the question is: has Pakistan, with all its pledges to back the Kashmiri fight for freedom, given the urgent assignment its best shot?

On Sunday, the head of the parliamentary committee on Kashmir, Fakhr Imam, repeated the slogan about Kashmir being Pakistan's jugular vein. Examples of how some international players had expressed their concern over Indian cruelty in IHK were once again highlighted. We were assured that the French parliament had discussed Kashmir and that some US congressmen had gone so far as to ask their government some 'hard questions'. We were also told...