CAN anybody, whether he’s Kashmiri or Pakistani, living in Rawalpindi-Islamabad or elsewhere, think of achieving peace for socio-economic well-being without solving the Kashmir question? Perhaps not, for “Kashmir is our ‘shah rug’ (jugular vein)” in the words of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The entire human life, especially of Muslims, depends upon hypocrisy-free resolution of the issue, say old men and women who migrated from the valley after it was occupied by India. “The new young generation can’t be cowed,” they assert.
The tragedy is that ever since Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, the issue has been lying unresolved with the United Nations despite many resolutions adopted unanimously, which empowered Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination. That’s called plebiscite which simply means the direct vote of Kashmiris, wherever they are, on the issue. Relevant to this day, in this context, is the appeal made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to members of the British Parliament 21 years back.
The appeal, inter alia, said: “The wave of independence and right of self-determination against colonialism in various parts of the world was honoured by the British Empire and the British people, who believe in democracy and rule of law, granted independence to the people of Indo-Pakistan sub-continent in 1947 with an option and liberty to at least 561states, either to join Indian dominion or Pakistan, or to remain independent. The state of Jammu and Kashmir wanted to exercise that right, but the Indian Armed Forces committed naked aggression on the state…We, the people of Kashmir hereby appeal to the honourable members of the Parliament to raise our voice and help the 12 million Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom by compelling the Indian Government to honour her pledges.”
The memorandum annexed to the appeal mentioned the people’s struggle against the oppressive and tyrannical Dogra rule and establishment of a de jure revolutionary government in liberated part of the state on October 24, 1947. The notable part thereof was the bitter fact that the fleeing Maharaja Hari Singh secretly entered into an unholy treaty with the Indian government on October 27, 1947, and a provisional treaty of accession was executed on the basis of which the Indian Army troops were dropped and pushed into the state to fight against the Kashmiri freedom fighters. That so-called treaty provided that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would have the right of self-determination as soon as normal life is restored. India has not fulfilled its commitment to the UN yet. The day of Indian army attack has come to be known as the Black Day in Kashmir and is observed as such by Kashmiris and advocates of human rights everywhere.
Recently, Indian Foreign Minister S.M.Krishna trumpeted that the disputed territory was an integral part of India, but soon came the rebuttal from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who claimed on October 7 that his state had acceded to India not merged with India. Mr. Abdullah told the state assembly in Srinagar that J and K “cannot be placed at par with Hyderabad and Junagarh,” which were forcefully occupied by India. He said “it is still a fact that Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India is under an agreement and it’s not the merger.” Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah had adopted the same stance in his public speech in Srinagar on July 13, 2004. That’ how India’s brazen lie gets exposed in occupied valley also.
Kashmiris say Pak stand on the dispute has always been principled and in accordance with the UN Charter: there has to be a free and fair plebiscite in the occupied Valley under the auspices of the world body as envisaged in its resolutions of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949. Pakistan rightly drew the world attention to the new unprecedented wave of protests against occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and suppression of the voice of the youths who are demanding right to self-determination. In fact, they seem determined to achieve their object and political volcano has started erupting. The occupied valley has been racked by street protests since June 11 when a 17-year-old student hit by a tear-gas shell lost his life. Reportedly, as many as 145 youths have been gunned down by Indian security forces during the past four months. The widespread protest against state terror is indigenous. Before the situation gets worsened and is more dangerous than ever before, the world community should persuade India to learn that the peace of the region hinges upon a quick end to repression in the disputed territory.
People have taken note of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s September 28 speech to the UN General Assembly, which emphasised the fact that Jammu and Kashmir forms the central part of all the outstanding issues between the two neighbouring countries. The human rights of the people of Kashmir have to be respected and their voice heard to establish an environment suitable for peaceful solution to the long-standing dispute. The Pak call for solving the question cannot be overlooked by any sane person in any peace-loving country of the world in the backdrop of the situation which has deteriorated swiftly following violent response to the young and old Kashmiris’ demand for right to self-determination. A peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and taking into account the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, as pointed by the minister, would surely create an atmosphere conducive to durable peace and stability in South Asia where millions are haunted by poverty, hunger and disease.
The commitment of Pakistan and its masses to the cause of the oppressed people is known to the world, according to which they have always extended their unswerving moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris fighting for their right to self-determination acknowledged by the UNO. The oppressed people are at the heart of the issue, and their fate and future are at stake. The UN Resolution of January 5, 1949, clearly states that “the question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite.” But, as former chief minister of the state Dr. Farooq Abdullah told a public meeting in Srinagar on July 13, 2004, the government of India has “illegally taken over control of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The matter of the fact is that India’s state terrorism has not relented in anyway until now, members of a migrant family disclosed to this scribe the other day. According to them, “life and honour of a Kashmiri woman is not secure.” The farewell greeting has changed from “Khuda hafiz” (God be with you) to “sahi salamat lot aana” (return safe). “A youth walks in fear—-fear of being named a suspect or militant, picked up, interrogated, tortured, and killed. And that’s not the end of Indian way of terrorism, the Kashmiri women live in fear of humiliation, harassment, molestation, gang-**** by Indian troops.” Five years back, violence figures were: killings 89,008; houses/shops destroyed 104,751; orphaned 106,205; women molested 9532; and widowed 22,158. There has been more to it by hundreds in the past five years (2005-2010), and there’s no end yet.
