Tribal Invasion - Pakistan’s first proxy war
Speech of Dr Shabir
Choudhry in a seminar arranged by Kashmir National Party to observe and condemn
‘Tribal Invasion’ which Pakistani government managed on 22 October 1947 to
capture the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Chairman,
friends and colleagues aslamo alaykam
I want to thank
Asim Mirza and other people who helped to arrange this seminar to observe Black
Day. KNP leadership can rightly take credit for being the first one to take
this courageous step and tell the Kashmiri nation that Black Day should be
observed on 22 October and not on 27 October as we have been observing in the
past.
On advice and on
instructions of JKLF senior leadership, and under influence of propaganda and
wrong history taught to us (prepared by Pakistani bureaucrats to advance their
imperialist aims in Jammu and Kashmir), we always observed Black Day on 27
October to coincide with the landing of the Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir.
This wrong history and propaganda of Islamabad under the cover of religion is
taught to us right from the childhood, and aim of that is to make us obedient
slaves of Pakistan rather than rational human beings and loyal citizens of
Jammu and Kashmir.
KNP leaders said
after the lapse of the British Paramountcy, Jammu and Kashmir emerged as an
independent state on 15 August 1947, and this fact was acknowledged by
Pakistani leaders and they concluded a Standstill Agreement with the government
of Jammu and Kashmir. When KNP leadership announced that we should observe a
Black Day on 22 October because it was on this day Pakistan and Pakistani
backed tribesmen attacked sovereignty of the State of Jammu and Kashmir by
violating terms of the Standstill Agreement there was an outcry against this
move.
Some Kashmiri
parties, including some JKLF leaders accused us for promoting a pro Indian
agenda, as in their view we were diverting attention away from the Valley; and
they accused us for creating problems on the Pakistani side of Jammu and Kashmir
and weakening the struggle. When I looked at todays Urdu papers of Azad Kashmir
it gave me immense satisfaction and a real sense of achievement, as papers were
full of news items showing that different Kashmiri parties observed 22 October
as a Black Day. My pleasure and sense of achievement was enhanced with news
that the JKLF also observed 22 October as a Black day.
This proves that we
were right at that time, and we are right now. We are trend setters and our
thinking is ahead of other parties and political activists. Whenever some thing
new is introduced, and even when it is not new and has been hidden by those who
occupy us, people will oppose that either due to lack of knowledge or on
instructions of those powers which want to maintain the status quo. KNP
leadership is determined to bring out facts and educate the young Kashmiris
about our rich historical past, about events of 1940s and the present day
forced division that they can make informed decisions as to how to fight those
who occupy us and take forward our struggle in line with international
requirements.
Root cause of our
present troubles, and trouble since 1947 is that unprovoked aggression against
us which started on 22 October 1947, and resulted in killing of tens of
thousands of innocent people of Jammu and Kashmir, looting arson, rapes and
kidnapping of Kashmiri women. Furthermore it forced the Maharaja of Jammu and
Kashmir to seek help from India to save his State, life, property and honour of
his subjects. The Indian help came only after the Maharaja agreed to sign an
Instrument of Accession with India which was provisionally accepted and had to
be ratified by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Of course, to date we have not
had an opportunity to ratify or reject that Provisional Accession.
The Indian forces
landed in Kashmir on the morning of 27 October 1947; and Pakistani governments
and Pakistani backed parties are encouraged and helped to observe that day as a
Black Day. I have no problem with that. However, this fact should be understood
that if there was no tribal attack on 22 October 1947, there would not have
been any need to seek help from India, and the Indian troops would not have
landed on 27 October. In other words, 27 October is a by product of the events
that started on 22 October; and without this unprovoked aggression, aim of
which was to capture the Kashmiri Capital, we could have been an independent
State.
Furthermore,
whereas Pakistan and Pakistani backed tribesmen entered the State territory by
violating the Standstill Agreement, and against the wishes of the government
and the Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir; the Indian troops entered the Kashmiri
territory on the request of the Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir and as a result of a
treaty between the two States.
Mr Chairman
It must be pointed
out here that the present role of the Indian army and para military forces goes
far beyond the terms of the agreement under which they entered the State. I and
my other colleagues condemn all human rights abuses taking place in Jammu and
Kashmir whether committed by men in uniform, secret agencies or jihadi groups
or other militants; but we must understand historical facts and who did what in
name of Kashmir dispute.
Some people in
order to justify the ‘Tribal Invasion’ claim that the tribesmen came there to
help Muslims who were being butchered by Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu. This story
is totally wrong; and is advanced only to provide a cover to the atrocities of
these savage tribesmen. Communal riots started in Jammu in third week of August
1947 when non Muslims uprooted from Pakistani Punjab poured in to Jammu from
Sialkot and Gujrat areas. Horror stories and condition of these ‘migrants’
provided fuel required to start riots and non Muslims from outside the State
also took part in these riots in which Muslims were the main target.
If aim of this
tribal attack was to help Muslims who were killed in riots then they should
have proceeded towards Jammu where Muslims were in minority. They could have
entered the State territory from Sialkot which is only about 28 miles from
Jammu or from Gujrat. Furthermore, why did they wait till 22 October (two
months) before they launched this tribal attack, Muslims of Jammu needed urgent
help in August 1947, but Pakistani government and these Tribesmen did not make
any move, they did not even issues a statement against these riots.
The reason for this
is that until mid October 1947, Pakistani authorities were under this
impression that the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir will accede with Pakistan;
and by helping Muslims of Jammu (when they were under attack) or by speaking in
their support the Government of Pakistan did not want to annoy the Maharaja and
risk losing Jammu and Kashmir. However, when Pakistani government realised that
the Maharaja did not want to join Pakistan and wanted to remain independent;
and he even refused to allow Mohammed Ali Jinnah to visit Srinagar for a
holiday, they decided to teach him a lesson.
Pakistani
government was really annoyed and felt humiliated and let down. They decided to
punish the Maharaja and take over Kashmir by force. In complete violation of
the Standstill Agreement they stopped all the essential supplies including food
and oil entering the State; and despite repeated requests from the Maharaja
government, Pakistan did not allow resumption of supplies of essential goods to
Jammu and Kashmir.
To make matters
worse for the Maharaja, Pakistan government encouraged a rebellion in Poonch
where Muslims were very resentful. Muslim soldiers who took part in the Second
World War had returned to their homes and were more conscious of their rights
and use of gun. Furthermore Pakistan accused the Maharajah government for
attacking Pakistani territory; and demanded that either the Maharaja or his
Prime Minister should immediately visit Karachi (Pakistan) to resolve these
issues.
The Maharaja denied
these charges, and said how his small army (8000, in total and scattered in
various parts of the State) could attack Pakistan; and for what purpose he
would do that. Both governments exchanged telegrams to resolve these issues
between second week of October and 19th October 1947; and the
Maharaja suggested to set up a Joint Commission to investigate these matters.
Pakistani government showed no interest in any kind of investigation or any
Commission; and while these communications were going on, Pakistan assembled
tribesmen from North West Frontier in name of Jihad and attacked the Valley of
Kashmir which had overwhelming Muslim majority, and where there were no riots
and Muslims were not under attack.
Clearly the aim was
not to help surrounded Muslims of Jammu, but to punish the Maharaja by
capturing his capital – Srinagar. As noted earlier if the aim was to help
Muslims of Jammu then the tribesmen should have been directed to Jammu Province
via Sialkot and Gujrat; and that attack should have taken place in August 1947,
and not on 22 October.
In this brutal
attack non Muslims were the main target – their men were systematically killed,
their women were raped and kidnapped and taken back to North West Frontier.
Their houses were burnt; however, the tribesmen showed great equality when it
came to looting- they looted everyone; even those items which were stored in a
Masjid (Mosque) by Muslims and non Muslims hoping that Muslim tribesmen will
not loot their belongings from a place of worship, were also looted. Any Muslim
who tried to protect non Muslims and criticised these tribesmen were also
killed on spot. It is believed that more than 30 thousands people lost their
lives in this brutal attack.
To us 22 October is
rightly called a Black Day, but to rub salt in our wounds, and to hide their
crimes, imperialists of Pakistan and their foot soldiers camouflaged their
crimes in name of religion and fabricated false stories to justify their
atrocities and naked aggression. Sad thing is that these people have not learnt
anything, and they still continue to promote those policies which divide people
in name of religion; and time has come that we people of Jammu and Kashmir
stand up and be counted.
Situation in Gilgit
Baltistan
Mr Chairman
Yesterday I
received a phone call from a nationalist leader from Gilgit who is under
detention there just because he spoke out against policies of Pakistan. This
man, Baba Jan is a political leader and believes in peaceful struggle. He
demands fundamental rights for the people of Gilgit Baltistan and exposes
Pakistani oppression and exploitation. He has not committed any crime; and yet
he is suffering in prison because he believes Pakistani occupation of these
areas is illegal and against the wishes and interests of the local people.
While talking to me
Baba Jan said: ‘Dr Shabir Choudhry, give my Salam (greetings) to my brothers of
Azad Kashmir who are observing a Black Day to condemn and expose the Pakistan’s
Kashmir policy and the tribal invasion. Tell them I fully support you and wish
you all the best for your seminar. While you talk about your miseries and
problems, please do not forget about the problems we face in Gilgit Baltistan.’
Baba Jan further
said, ‘like you people we are also occupied, but we are in worst condition
because we don’t even enjoy those rights which you people have been enjoying
for many decades. I support struggle of those people who are fighting for their
rights and freedom on the Indian side of the LOC. I also support your struggle,
but I cannot go to Muzaffarbad or Srinagar and fight for you because I am also
in chains in Gilgit Baltistan. I believe my struggle is on this side of the
divide where I am occupied and oppressed. I can only help you or fight to
liberate you brothers once I am free; and those people who ask you to liberate
the Indian side of the Jammu and Kashmir first are not sincere, as they are
promoting the agenda of Islamabad to hide their crimes and keep attention away
from these areas which in many ways are still living in dark ages.’
Mr Chairman, thank
you for your patience and for allowing me to pass on message of Baba Jan who is
another victim of Pakistani secret agencies, and who is suffering because of his
political views.
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