Newspapers these days are flooded with columns, articles, news and blogs highlighting Kashmir issue as the solidarity day with Kashmiris was observed on 5 February, but the fact that remains unspotted is the offering of a plausible solution to this long dusty and rusty issue rotting in UN cabinets from last seven decades. Unfortunately, we have missed many easy opportunities for its settlement in the past.
There was a time when Sardar Patel offered Liaqat Ali Khan entire Kashmir if later had acceded to the accession of the State of Hyderabad to the former. In Owen Dixon plan, a separate referendum over four zones i.e. Kashmir valley, Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan was proposed by virtue of which Pakistan was likely to get major chunk of Kashmir except Jammu and Ladakh which had Hindu majority, but this plan was also rejected. Then during 1962’s war between India and China, another window of opportunity opened when the issue could have been tackled easily through military intervention as offered by China to Pakistan to move her troops on the desolated Kashmir (as all Indian military was engaged on Chinese border). Pakistan could not act on this plan as dissuaded by her foreign godfathers.
Above inactions had raised concerns in Kashmiris’ minds over the credibility that Pakistan holds over this issue. Further adding insult to the injury, a senior journalist, Hamid Mir, while speaking recently at the National conference on Kashmir organized by Jamaat Islami, said that echelons in Pakistan government and militia were aware of the abrogation of Article 370 in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and this was agreed through consensus among the said factions. Similar allusions have been given many times by the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. All these indicate the existence of some multifaceted and nefarious designs being designed by top factions of the government and intelligentsia over Kashmir.
Such mala fide intentions are further evidenced by attempts to annex Gilgit Baltistan (GB) as fifth province of Pakistan. Also, in the world’s view, this annexation will be regarded as similar to one done by India, implying that the two parties to the bone of contention seem to have an agreement on devouring the parts of Kashmir.
Either deliberately or unintentionally, Pakistan has missed many golden opportunities to solve the issue as outlined in the outset. Now, at a time when IOK has already been annexed coupled with world’s silence -cum- content over it, it is a high time for Pakistan to take actions on her side of held Kashmir. Limiting herself to just chanting slogans and verbal articulations over the issue will not do much.
Pakistan must prove to the World and Kashmiris its principled stance over the issue. There are at least two things that will reflect an unbiased support that Pakistan always boasts of to extend to its brethren in Kashmir.
First, instead of annexing GB with Pakistan, it should be declared a province of Kashmir by giving it a suitable representation in the existing government of Azad Kashmir. Second, Pakistan should proclaim and carry out a fair and free plebiscite in the areas of Kashmir held by her in accordance with UN resolutions under the auspices of UN and other neutral lookouts to give the people of Kashmir a right to decide their future. This action will be lauded by the World and will in turn put pressure on Indian government to go for a similar course of action in its illegally occupied Kashmir and retrocede the occupied territory. Moreover, an independent and a neutral government in Azad Kashmir would be able to expose this issue in a more forceful way at world forums, and this will no longer be portrayed as a border issue between two atomic powers as perceived currently worldwide.
Premier of Pakistan Imran Khan, addressing a jalsa in Kotli Azad Kashmir held recently said to Kashmiris: “When you decide on your future, and when the people of Kashmir, God willing, decide in Pakistan’s favor, I want to say that after that Pakistan will give Kashmiris the right that if you want to be independent or a part of Pakistan. This will be your right”. This is a very welcoming statement and should be made unconditionally to win the hearts of Kashmiris and to resolve an issue in the most democratic way possible.
A member of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Pakistan