Tribal Invasion and 27 October 1947
Farooq Ahmad
Contrary to the past when separatists used to observe October 27, the day Indian Army landed in Srinagar, as Black Day, this year the trend reversed in Kashmir as Jammu and Kashmir Youth Development Forum (JKYDF), a apolitical forum represented by people from different walks of life, observed October 22 as Black Day.
October 22 is the day when tribal militia backed by Pakistani Army invaded Kashmir in 1947 and massacred hundreds of people. The tribal militia unleashed reign of terror and unprovoked aggression against people of Jammu and Kashmir and violated state’s sovereignty.
It was for the first time that a seminar was held on 22 October to coincide with the attack of the tribesmen on State of Jammu and Kashmir which forced then Maharaja (Ruler) of the State to seek help from India and subsequently accede with India. In the past years separatists used to force Kashmiris to observe Black Day on October 27 which coincides with the arrival of Indian army in Srinagar. People were led to believe that their problems started after 27th October 1947, and Pakistan provided funds and support to all anti-national groups including Hurriyat Conference who observe Black Day on October 27.
However, the matter of the fact is that our sovereignty was violated on 22 October 1947 when hordes of tribesmen from North West Frontier of Pakistan attacked and invaded J&K State. They mercilessly killed and looted people. Religion was not an issue to them and their victims included Muslims as well as non-Muslims. In fact, first person who was killed by these so called Jihadis was a Muslim from Muzaffarbad area of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir
It is a historic fact that the State of Jammu and Kashmir was independent after the end of the British Raj and that Tribal Invasion was supported by Pakistani authorities in clear violation of the Standstill Agreement concluded between the then Maharaja government and government of Pakistan.
There is no doubt that the Tribal Invasion was planned and supported by government of Pakistan, and its aim was to punish the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir who refused to accede to Pakistan. It divided our beloved motherland and divided families of the state. It killed innocent Kashmiri men and women. It plundered and looted Kashmiri resources. It is the main cause of our present miseries and troubles.
The Tribal Invasion communalised the Kashmiri politics in which people of the State suffered immensely and it was this unprovoked attack due to which people of the state are still suffering. The genie of extremism and hatred released in name of jihad in October 1947 to advance political agenda, continue to spread extremism and hatred. Unfortunately that policy of promoting extremism to advance political agenda continued until very recently, and forces of extremism and hatred have become power in their own right.
Pakistan has divided people on different issues and they kill their own people and nobody is safe there. The democratic system of Pakistan has been occupied by its army. Religious intolerance in areas of Pakistani Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan is at its peak. Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and other jihadi groups have entrenched their positions in POK and the puppet government of POK has instructed the local administration to accommodate the Pakistani and other jihadis by all means possible, including in madrassahs and sate run schools.
Pakistan is indulging in untold atrocities upon the population of Jammu and Kashmir and even in Pak-Occupied Kashmir. The continuous and active support to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, mass migration of Kashmiri Pundits from Kashmir valley and attempts at raising communal tensions in Jammu region are direct interference in the internal affairs of the country.
We the people of Jammu and Kashmir have got our priorities wrong. True Pakistan has exploited us economically and otherwise but we have to learn from the past mistakes and move forward if we want peace, prosperity and development.
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