THE people of Jammu and Kashmir had a historical linkage with the areas which became part of Pakistan in 1947. Indeed, there has been mutuality between the people of both areas for centuries. The people of Jammu and Kashmir participated in a parallel movement against Dogra Rule alongside All India Muslim League. They decided to become part of Pakistan after passage of Pakistan Resolution on March 23, 1940. After approval of partition plan of India on June 3, 1947, Kashmiri leadership completed their homework for State’s Accession with Pakistan. In the same backdrop, on July 19, 1947, the people of Jammu and Kashmir unanimously passed a resolution for the accession of the state with the future state of Pakistan. The prominent Kashmir leaders Khawaja Ghulam-ud-Din Wani and Abdul Rahim Wani moved the resolution in the emergency session of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference held in Srinagar. Since Pakistan was to become a reality for the Muslim of South Asia on August 14, 1947, therefore, the Kashmiri leadership hurriedly completed the needed legal formalities of state’s accession with their dreamland, Pakistan.
The State of Jammu and Kashmir and the areas constitute Pakistan today have historical relationship, which dates back to centuries. This relationship have rooted in the joint history of these two areas over the years and later turned into a relationship of interdependency. Religion, common culture, joint races on both side, migrations and inter-marriages further strengthened this bond between the people of two sides. Besides, these linkages, geopolitics of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan are another compelling factor, which essentially unite these areas. All natural routes to various parts of the Jammu and Kashmir are from Pakistan. The only link, India exploited in 1947, through Gurdaspur (PathanKot) was an un-natural link, which India ma-nipulated through Radcliff Award by dividing Punjab in violation to the rules of partition of India. As per the Indian partition plan (June 3, 1947), Kashmir was to become part of Pakistan, based on the wish of the peo-ple and geographical contiguity of the state with Pakistan.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir with over-whelming Muslim population (77%) were deprived from their basic right to decide their future, thus rose to occasion and revolted against then Ruler of the State, Maharaja Hari Singh. Kashmiri volunteersorganized themselves into Kashmiri irregular forces and liberated a portion of the state from the regular forces of Maharaja Hari Singh. They also established their own government; “Azad Jammu and Kashmir”. This portion was to act as the base camp for the liberation of rest of state from Indian occupation. The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is enjoying the status of maximum constitutional and fi-nancial autonomy, ever since formation of AJK Government. However, In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the autonomy was reduced through a gradual process and finally state was relegated to union territories and illegally annexed with India on August 5, 2019. On its part, Pakistan fully respects the autonomous status of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.AJK Assembly enjoys the legislative powers for political dispensation as per the will of people. There is a control of taxation revenue generation with AJK Govern-ment after transfer of powers from Kashmir Council to AJK Government. All the appointments in judiciary and executive in AJK are done with the approval of the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. In a way, Pakistan did not disturb the AJK Government in its autonomous functioning ever since establishment of AJK Government.
During the on-going struggle of Kashmir, started in 1990, over 100,000 Kashmiri people lost their lives at the hands of brutal Indian forces. Over 900,000 Indian security forces are continuing with their brutalities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Indian security forces have total impunity under the discriminatory and inhuman Indian laws, imposed ever since 1990s. Despite heavy Indian military de-ployment in IIOJK and unilateral and illegal relegation of the status of IIOJK in August 2019, it could not defeat the will of Kashmiris for attainment of their right of self-determination. Over the years, the political dispute of Kashmir has become a humanitarian issue, since there have been massive human rights violations in IIOJK by Indian security forces which are still continued.
The world has to understand that, there is a state sponsored terrorism going on in IIOJK since 1990. There is an organized campaign of genocide going on against the people of Indian occupied Kashmir espe-cially the youth. This is the darkest aspect of India, which civilized international community is constantly ignoring for the unknown reasons. Although, United Nations, Amnesty International and many other human rights organizations have been raising the issue of Indian human rights violations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, but there have been no action against India on these accounts. Rather, the major powers are enhancing their political and economic linkages with India.
The current phase of Kashmiri uprising is indeed their renewed commitment, that they do not accept the post August 5, 2019 status of their state. They want restoration of special status of the state and its permanent resolution in accordance with the UNCIP Resolu-tion of January 5, 1949. On its part, India is continuing its brutalities in IIOJK and after August 5, 2019, it is in the process of changingits demography through a gradual process of issuing domicile to Non Kashmiri Hindu population. At the same time Indian is cancelling the Kashmiri nationality of Muslims who resisted and fought against Indian occupation of the state. These illegal acts of India are endangering the regional peace of South Asia. India must understand that, resolution of Kashmir dispute is essential for a peace and stability in South Asia. Owing to nuclear dimension of South Asia, international community and United Nations must emphasize India to bring an end to massive human rights violation in IIOJK, restore its special status and facilitate plebiscite under UN for a permanent solution of the State.
—The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
