My response to a Pakistani critic

Aslamo alaykam Bhai Sahib

1. I don’t know what to call you – teddy bear can’t be your name.

2. Anyhow I didn’t mean to cause any offence to you or anyone else. I can’t see any cause of offence, as I have only stated some facts. You have every right to disagree with what I have said, but remember we don’t always like what we see in the mirror.

3. Please get your facts right, the tribesmen did not go to J&K to ‘liberate’ us they were sent to grab Kashmir and punish the Maharaja who refused to join Pakistan; and they were told to loot and plunder the J&K. They killed, looted and raped women, Muslims and non Muslims. There is ample evidence on this, and some of it written by some honest Pakistani writers as well. I am also attaching something for your consideration.

4. With regard to 1965, again get your facts right. It is proved beyond any doubt that Operation Gibraltar was not carried out to liberate Kashmiris. I will attach a paper for your information.

5. If it was not for Pakistan we would have been independent state. It was the tribal invasion planned and supported by Pakistan which forced the Maharaja to seek help from India, hence the forced division and all the problems we face on both sides of the divide.

6. Furthermore it was Pakistani officials who complicated the matter by making it a bilateral dispute rather than an issue of right of self determination. It was they who changed the name from Kashmir issue to India and Pakistan dispute. It was Pakistani officials who suggested changes to the first UNCIP Resolution and limited Kashmiri peoples right of self determination to accession to either India or Pakistan. It was Pakistan who signed Tashkant and Shimla Pacts and practically made the Kashmir dispute a bilateral issue - and now issue of water.

7. Pakistani governments have been exploiting our resources since 1947, our hard earned foreign exchange is also used by your government; and you are not happy if our people are working in your cities. If we become independent and we have sincere leadership there, not like what Pakistan have, then it would be people from other countries including Pakistan coming to work in J&K. Even now do you know how many Pakistani people live in Gilgit Baltistan and exploit our resources? Above all in clear violation of State Subject Law they have purchased land there.

8. Do you know how many countries are there in the world without ports, so please don’t give me that?

9. As for Pakistani passport is concerned it is only a travelling document; and under the international law it is Pakistan’s obligation, but that doesn’t changes our status; as it doesn’t change status of Palestinians. Those Palestinians who live in Syria they hold Syrian passport and those who live in Egypt they hold Egyptian passport so on and so forth.

10. By the way do you know many Pakistanis living abroad, when asked do not tell others that they are from Pakistan? Does that mean anything to you?

11. If you leave our country I am sure we will be able to make a passport – it is not a rocket science. But do you think your army will leave AJK and Gilgit Baltistan – never willingly. Do you know how many millions your army is making from the resources of Neelam valley alone? I suggest you visit the area and see the plight of the people and see how the army and timber mafia and mafia associated with precious stones are exploiting the area and puppets of Muzaffarabad have no say in these matters.

12. During the time when Kashmir was independent people used to come from undivided India, Tibet, China and other countries to study there. I don’t think Pakistani education has much credibility. Once independent we can set up our own institutions, and I assure you that we will also care for educational needs of our Pakistani brothers.

13. Oh, please do tell me what your ‘official capacity’ is. Is that some kind of hidden threat? Remember we live in 2010 and not in Somalia. My friend, it should be you who should apologise for looting and plundering my country and its resources.

14. I wish Pakistan genuine democracy, stability, prosperity, and ability to live in peace with itself and with neighbours, but if and when we get independence we don’t know what will be the situation of South Asia at that time; and how many more ‘Tans’ there will be apart from Hindustan and Pakistan.

15. I have tried to be respectful and I hope you won’t get angry for showing mirror to you.

16. I hope you will find time to read them and correct wrong assumptions.

Shabir

Dr. Shabir Chaudhry,
I am a Pakistani Citizen from the South of Pakistan and after reading your reading you wrote, I have no hesitation in stating that I am seriously offended.

What you wrote makes me think that My men wasted their lives trying to provide your men the freedom and dignity in 1948 and 1965 if you wish not to join Pakistan. Did we send our Pashtoon, Punjabi and Urdu-speak to fight someone else’s war?
You seem to be quite determined to have independent state of Kashmir. Go and take it if you can without our help.

Even if you manage to get your long overdue independence, Do not come to us for handouts. How would you export your products without the access to port cities of Karachi and Gwadar? If you decide to go independent, prepare yourself to pay Govt levies in order to use our ports.

Secondly, so many Kashmiris from Azad Kashmir are working in the Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. They will be expelled with immediate effect. Of course, if our own
citizens don’t have jobs, why will we offer jobs to Kashmiris who will be Non-Pakistanis?

We would be better off without Kashmir as my native City of Karachi contributes 70% revenues to the Govt treasury which is used to feed the economically backward valleys of Kashmir. Without Kashmir, it will only contribute 60%.:) Our army will have less area and people to protect and defend.:) You need us more than we need you.
We have oil, gas and Coal reserves in the south. Tell me something that you have in Kashmir which is of some economic value. Do you think you can run your economy on water, Barley and wheat?

As per travel, your citizens will need Pakistani visas frequently, compared to Pakistani citizens needing the Kashmiri visa. Because for tourism, we will visit NWFP or Quetta or Interior Sindh, rather than visiting Kashmir. Yet for better education, better medical treatment, you will have to visit Islamabad and Lahore. If your citizens choose to Study in our Institutes or looked for medical treatment in our Hospitals, We will certainly charge 4 times. And why should not be… You will be foreigners to us.

I don’t care what You respond, But we will not come and beg you to join us rather you will, just like Ras Al-khaima opted to stay out of UAE in 1971 but within a year came running to join it. Why”? because it could not survive alone.

If you hate “this Pakistan that you see on TV screens,” then why Your Kashmiri Citizens use Our Green Passport, call them Pakistanis while travelling abroad and bring drugs with them. Get your own passport and use that.

Thanks be to Allah that I read this on the Internet, if I had heard it in my official capacity, I would have demanded an official apology.
Teddybear