Kashmir dispute - what needs to be done, speech delivered by Sarfraz Raja

Kashmir dispute - what needs to be done

Speech delivered by Sarfraz Raja, a leader of United Kashmir Peoples National Party on 20 January 2019.

Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues Aslamo alaykam and very good afternoon to all of you.

When the British Raj ended in the Indian Sub – Continent on 15 August 1947, the State of Jammu and Kashmir was one political entity. The Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, despite pressure from various quarters refused to accede to India or Pakistan, and legally and constitutionally regained its independence.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Mountbatten and Pundit Nehru agreed that the Two Nations Theory did not apply to the Princely States. They also agreed that the Rulers of the Princely States will decide future of their states.

Maharaja Hari Singh wanted to remain independent, and for this purpose invited India and Pakistan to enter a Standstill Agreement with Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan immediately accepted this offer and signed the Standstill Agreement, however, India wanted to discuss this matter further.

In a blatant violation of the Standstill Agreement and against Islamic teaching, Pakistan attacked Jammu and Kashmir on 22 October 1947, with intention of occupying the State. Tens of thousands of innocent people of Jammu and Kashmir were killed, women raped and property was looted and destroyed.

Maharaja Hari Singh was unable to defend his State, and requested India for help. India agreed to help provided the State acceded to India. Hari Singh had no choice, but to accept this, and in order to save his country and his people, he acceded to accede to India, which had to be ratified by the people.

This resulted in the first India Pakistan war, and our motherland was forcibly divided between India and Pakistan. It is sad that even after 70 long years, our motherland, Jammu and Kashmir remains divided; and we suffer on both sides of the divide.

Jammu and Kashmir dispute is not only a political issue, it is also human issue. Families and friends are divided, and people were driven out of their homes. It is sad that despite lofty claims of democracy and brotherhood, both India and Pakistan have deprived us of our fundamental rights.

There are UN Security Council Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, which demand Pakistan to withdraw all the troops. India had to withdraw only bulk of the troops. After Pakistan’s refusal to withdraw, no progress was made on withdrawal of the troops; and people were not allowed to express their opinion on the future of our motherland.

Instead of implementing the UN Resolutions, and caring for the people, Pakistan systematically exported extremism, terrorism and religious hatred, which has divided people of Jammu and Kashmir on religious and ethnic lines.

This export of terrorism - sending religious warriors to commit acts of terrorism in Kashmir, result in death and destruction and human rights abuses. India, in pretext of fighting terrorism, is also responsible for human rights abuses.

Our demands are simple:

1.   Pakistan must stop training and sending militants to Kashmir, as that policy adds to our suffering; and it bleeds us.

2.   Pakistan should also stop communalising polity of Jammu and Kashmir and promoting extremism, religious hatred and intolerance.

3.   Pakistan must change its policy in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistani Occupied Jammu and Kashmir; and treat people with respect and give us our fundamental rights including a right of expression by not banning our books and newspapers.

4.   Pakistan must respect disputed nature of Gilgit Baltistan, respect State Subject Ordinance and stop settling Pakistanis in this disputed territory; and repatriate those Pakistanis who are settled there.

5.   Furthermore, Pakistan must stop intimidation of political activists, release political prisoners, give people equal share in the CPEC projects; and establish technical and professional institutes to  empower the local people.

6.   By building Neelam Jhelum Hydel dam, Pakistan has diverted water of River Neelam, which has caused enormous problems for nearly half million people, wildlife and environment. We demand Pakistan to release sufficient water that the suffering of the people could end.

7.   I call upon the Indian authorities to respect human rights and honour their pledges made to us in the Instrument of Accession and under the UNCIP Resolutions.

8.   I request both India and Pakistan to stop testing their weapons on the Line Of Control, as this adds to our problems, and innocent people are killed on both sides of the divide.

9.   Also, I request both countries to open all traditional routes linking the forcibly divided State that people can interact and socialise with their relatives and friends.

10.                 Both India and Pakistan should allow leaders of Jammu and Kashmir to meet and start intra Kashmir dialogue to build bridges of confidence.

11.                 Both countries should start a process of trilateral dialogue that people of Jammu and Kashmir can also have their say in the final solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Mr Chairman, I thank you.