India, Pak agree on additional CBMs on Kashmir
PTI External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar arrive for their joint statement following a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday.
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The two foreign ministers agreed during talks, held on Wednesday, to work more closely in fighting terrorism in the region and to easing cross-border commerce and travel.
India and Pakistan on Wednesday announced additional Confidence Building Measures related to Kashmir, including increasing cross-LoC trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and religious aspects.
After the “satisfactory” talks between External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, the two sides also decided to relax permit conditions for travel by people of Jammu and Kashmir to the other side of LoC by having a system of six-month multiple entry.
The two ministers discussed Jammu and Kashmir, counter-terrorism measures, including progress in the Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan, humanitarian issues, commercial and economic cooperation, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Sir Creek, Siachen, peace and security including CBMs and promotion of friendly exchanges.
On CBMs
They also agreed to convene separate meetings of the expert groups on nuclear and conventional CBMs, in Islamabad in September 2011.
“The Ministers held discussions on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and agreed to the need for continued discussions, in a purposeful and forward looking manner, with a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences and building convergences,” said a joint statement issued after the talks.
Mr. Krishna later said, “I must say that I am satisfied at the progress achieved in this round of the resumed dialogue.
The outcomes have been as per our expectations...While being fully cognisant of the challenges that lie ahead, I can confidently say that our relations are on the right track.”
On Jammu and Kashmir issue
On Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Krishna said they will continue discussions with a view to finding a peaceful solution by “narrowing divergences and building convergences“.
Expressing satisfaction at the outcome of talks, he said the two sides decided that the Foreign Ministers will meet again in Islamabad in the first half of 2012 to review progress in the dialogue process.
“We are listening carefully to each other and giving serious consideration to the ideas and proposals from both sides that are on the table. I am also confident about our future course of our relations, which has to be normalised for peace progress and prosperity of our two countries and the region,” the External Affairs Minister said.
“This is indeed a new era of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and it is our desire and I believe after having spoken to you (Krishna), that it is the desire and commitment of both the governments to make it an uninterrupted and an uninterpretable process,” Ms. Khar said.
Satisfaction on specific meetings
“We have expressed our satisfaction on holding of subject specific meetings during the last five months. We have agreed that the process should continue and in fact there is no alternative to dialogue and constructive engagement,” she said in a brief press stake-out after the meeting.
She said, “a new generation of India and Pakistan will see a relationship which is going to be much different then the one we experienced in the last few decades.”
Ms. Khar, the youngest and first woman Foreign Minister of Pakistan, said they should make every effort possible to narrowing down divergences and building convergences.
“It is important that a responsible state we take ownership of our own affairs. In the recent months we have seen an intensification of contacts at different levels between both the countries,” she said.
The joint statement said the ministers affirmed the importance of carrying forward the dialogue process with a “view to resolving peacefully all outstanding issues through constructive and result oriented engagement, and to establish friendly, cooperative and good neighbourly relations between Pakistan and India.”
They also underlined the need for sustained effort by both countries to build a relationship of trust and mutually beneficial cooperation in conformity with the determination of the people of both countries to see “an end to terrorism and violence and to realise their aspirations for peace and development.”
On terrorism issue
Mr. Krishna and Ms. Khar also agreed that terrorism poses a continuing threat to peace and security and reiterated the firm and undiluted commitment of the two countries to fight and eliminate this scourge in all its forms and manifestations.
“Both sides agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism including among relevant departments as well as agencies to bring those responsible for terror crimes to justice,” the statement said.
They noted with satisfaction the fact that “since the resumption of dialogue earlier this year, the process of release of prisoners and fishermen from both sides has continued.”
On CBMs, the statement said the Working Group will review the trading list with a view to further specifying permissible items to facilitate intra-Jammu and Kashmir Cross-LoC trade.
“The number of trading days stand enhanced from 2 to 4 days per week. Truck movements shall take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, both on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot routes,” the statement said.
Cross-LoC trade
The statement said the designated authorities will resolve operational issues concerning cross-LoC trade through regular interaction.
The meetings of the designated authorities will be held alternately at the Terminal of the Crossing Points on both sides of the LoC every quarter or as and when deemed necessary.
On cross-LoC travel, the statement said it would be expanded on both sides of the LoC to include visits for tourism and religious pilgrimage and that modalities in this regard will be worked out by both sides.
“Facilities including waiting area, terminal and clearing procedures at the operational crossing points will be streamlined by both sides for smooth Cross-LoC travel,” the statement said.
Cross-LoC bus service
The cross-LoC bus service between Srinagar- Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot routes will henceforth run on every Monday.
“Application forms and requisite documentation in respect of travel across LoC will be exchanged by email between Designated Authorities of both sides. Such email transfer of application forms will be backed up by hard copies,” the statement said.
It said India and Pakistan will expedite the processing time for applications, which shall not be more than 45 days.
“Six month multiple entry cross-LoC travel permits will be allowed by the Designated Authorities after completion of the required formalities at an early date,” the statement said.
It was agreed that the Joint Working Group will henceforth meet on a biannual basis to review existing arrangements and suggest additional measures for Cross-LoC travel and trade.
Economic engagement
Mr. Krishna and Ms. Khar agreed that increase in trade and economic engagement between the two countries would be mutually beneficial.
“In this context, they emphasized the importance of early establishment of a non-discriminatory trade regime between the two countries, including reduction/removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers. They also emphasised the need for facilitating trade and redressing trade imbalance,” the statement said.
The ministers also noted with satisfaction that during their meeting held in Islamabad in April 2011, the Commerce Secretaries of the two countries had decided on a number of important steps to realize the full potential of bilateral trade.
“The Ministers agreed that discussions will continue on Siachen, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project and Sir Creek to find a mutually acceptable solution to these issues.
They reiterated their commitment to seeking early and amicable solutions to all these issues,” the statement said.
The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the Indus Waters Treaty.
They noted with “satisfaction” the progress made towards finalization of a revised Visa Agreement which would help liberalise the visa regime and facilitate people-to-people, business-to-business and sports contacts.
“The Ministers also emphasised promotion of cooperation in various fields including, facilitating visits to religious shrines, media exchanges, holding of sports tournaments and cessation of hostile propaganda against each other,” the statement said.
Technical Level Working Groups
India-Pakistan Joint Commission and agreed that the Technical Level Working Groups should hold their meetings to identify avenues of further cooperation in these fields.
“They reaffirmed their commitment to the goals and objectives of SAARC and agreed to make joint efforts to promote cooperation for regional development in the SAARC framework,” the statement said.
The Ministers noted that Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has extended an invitation to his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Amin Fahim to visit India at a mutually convenient date.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Hina Rabbani: 'More confident today than I was yesterday'
Hina Rabbani: ‘More confident today than I was yesterday’
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: July 27, 2011 14:53 IST
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New Delhi: Hina Rabbani Khar said after her meeting with India’s Foreign Minister today, “I am more confident today than I was when I arrived in Delhi yesterday…which is a good sign.”
The 34-year-old Pakistani Foreign Minister spent the morning with SM Krishna, who is 45 years older than her. Ms Khar is her country’s youngest Foreign Minister. Her trip to India is being measured carefully on both sides of the border. At a joint press conference this afternoon with Mr Krishna, she underscored the fact that she represents a younger Pakistan. This generation sees things differently, she said. (Pics: Hina Rabbani’s date with India)
Ms Khar’s decision to meet with Kashmiri separatists yesterday – before her formal interaction with the government began – has irked India as poor diplomatic move. Sources say Mr Krishna pointed this out during their morning meeting. (Read: Hina’s meeting with Hurriyat leaders irks India)
At the press conference that followed, however, both sides spoke warmly of each other. “I am satisfied at the progress achieved in this round of the resumed dialogue. Outcomes have been as per our expectations,” said Mr Krishna. He said a joint statement would be issued today and that it sees both countries agreeing that terrorism poses “a continuing threat to peace and security in the region.” Mr Krishna said that India and Pakistan “reiterated the undiluted commitment of the two countries to fight and eliminate this scourge in all its forms and manifestations.” Mr Krishna said that the Foreign Ministers will meet again in Islamabad in the early part of 2012. He said he could “comfortably say that relations (between the two countries) are on the right track…. (But) we have distances to travel”.
Ms Khar said that “I am more confident today than I was when I arrived…which is a good sign.” She said she believes “this is a new era of bilateral cooperation” and that she wants the Indo-Pak dialogue to become an “uninterrupted and uninterruptable process.”
The Pakistani minister said, “I am emboldened by the comment he made that in the Commonwealth Games, after the Indian team, the Pakistani team got the most cheers…that is very encouraging for us.”
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/hina-rabbani-more-confident-today-than-i-was-yesterday-122389&cp
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/hina-s-meeting-with-hurriyat-leaders-irks-india-122296?slider
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: July 27, 2011 14:53 IST
Planning to Visit India? – We Know What to See, Where to Go & when to Go. Ask for Best Quote Now
www.DestinationIndia.com/booking
Click to Expand & Play
New Delhi: Hina Rabbani Khar said after her meeting with India’s Foreign Minister today, “I am more confident today than I was when I arrived in Delhi yesterday…which is a good sign.”
The 34-year-old Pakistani Foreign Minister spent the morning with SM Krishna, who is 45 years older than her. Ms Khar is her country’s youngest Foreign Minister. Her trip to India is being measured carefully on both sides of the border. At a joint press conference this afternoon with Mr Krishna, she underscored the fact that she represents a younger Pakistan. This generation sees things differently, she said. (Pics: Hina Rabbani’s date with India)
Ms Khar’s decision to meet with Kashmiri separatists yesterday – before her formal interaction with the government began – has irked India as poor diplomatic move. Sources say Mr Krishna pointed this out during their morning meeting. (Read: Hina’s meeting with Hurriyat leaders irks India)
At the press conference that followed, however, both sides spoke warmly of each other. “I am satisfied at the progress achieved in this round of the resumed dialogue. Outcomes have been as per our expectations,” said Mr Krishna. He said a joint statement would be issued today and that it sees both countries agreeing that terrorism poses “a continuing threat to peace and security in the region.” Mr Krishna said that India and Pakistan “reiterated the undiluted commitment of the two countries to fight and eliminate this scourge in all its forms and manifestations.” Mr Krishna said that the Foreign Ministers will meet again in Islamabad in the early part of 2012. He said he could “comfortably say that relations (between the two countries) are on the right track…. (But) we have distances to travel”.
Ms Khar said that “I am more confident today than I was when I arrived…which is a good sign.” She said she believes “this is a new era of bilateral cooperation” and that she wants the Indo-Pak dialogue to become an “uninterrupted and uninterruptable process.”
The Pakistani minister said, “I am emboldened by the comment he made that in the Commonwealth Games, after the Indian team, the Pakistani team got the most cheers…that is very encouraging for us.”
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/hina-rabbani-more-confident-today-than-i-was-yesterday-122389&cp
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/hina-s-meeting-with-hurriyat-leaders-irks-india-122296?slider
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in Azad Kashmir - Human Rigths Watch
Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in Azad Kashmir - Human Rigths Watch
Contributed by Editor Sunday, 01 October 2006.
Tight controls on freedom of expression have been a hallmark of the Pakistani government’s policy in Azad Kashmir. This control is highly selective.
Militant organizations have had free rein—particularly between 1991 and 2001—to propagate their views and disseminate literature. However, those supportive of independence for a united Kashmir, or otherwise critical of the Pakistani government, have faced continual repression.
Loyalty oath
No person in Azad Kashmir can be appointed to any government job, including the judiciary, unless he or she expresses loyalty to the concept of Kashmir accession to Pakistan. The oath of office for the president, prime minister, speaker, member of the legislative assembly or the Azad Kashmir Council also incorporates the following statement: I will remain loyal to the country and the cause of accession of the state of Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan.”49 (The consequences of not taking the oath for persons seeking political office are discussed below, in Chapter V.)
Print media and publishing
The Pakistani government has long limited dissemination of news in Azad Kashmir. There is no locally-based news agency. Azad Kashmir only has one daily newspaper and so people largely rely on local editions of Pakistani newspapers for news and information. The laws governing publications provide a partial explanation for this barren information landscape: in order to publish within the territory, newspapers and periodicals need to be granted permission by the Kashmir Council and the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs in Islamabad. These bodies are unlikely to grant permission to any proposed publication likely to be sympathetic to any discourse on Kashmir and its affairs other than that sanctioned by the Pakistani government. In any case, the publisher would have to sign the declaration of support to accession to Pakistan mentioned above.
Technically, the same rules apply to the publication of books.
Human Rights Watch spoke extensively to working journalists and writers in the major towns of Azad Kashmir. Members of the press complained of the intrusive and coercive policies of the Azad Kashmir government but particularly of the ISI and the Pakistani military. Almost every journalist interviewed described incidents of coercion, intimidation, threats and occasional violence against the media by the military, its intelligence agencies, and militant groups.
Consequently, self-censorship has been as endemic as coercion. It is indicative of the climate of fear that pervades Azad Kashmir that while journalists were forthcoming in describing incidents off-the-record, virtually all interviewed by Human Rights Watch requested not to be quoted, even anonymously. Their rationale was that Azad Kashmir was a relatively small territory and they would be easily identifiable through the specifics of the incident described. One journalist explained his reasons to Human Rights Watch in these words:
You will go away. We have to live and work here. Our families live here. The ISI is very powerful. It is also very unforgiving. The officer who presided over my beating is still serving. Even if he was not, he would inform his successor of the “disciplinary action taken against me and to keep an eye on me. If they dont want to be blamed themselves, they will instruct one of the jihadi groups to teach me a lesson. I know freedom of expression is important but not important enough to die for. At least not to me. Sometimes they just summon you for no reason at all.
On some flimsy excuse. Someone with a similar name writes something unrelated to Kashmir in some part of Pakistan but the army or the jihadis decide it is you. They also force you to create and kill news according to what suits them. Things are bad. You have heard how bad from many of us. Just dont mention my name, that’s all.50 Waheed Kiyani, a local journalist working for the Reuters news agency, was arbitrarily arrested by the ISI on July 10, 2003, as he was returning from the city of Rawalakot after covering a political meeting. For security reasons, Kiyani was unwilling to talk to Human Rights Watch. However, Human Rights Watch interviewed others including the organizers of the meeting who described what happened. Arif Shahid, chairman of the All Parties Nationalist Alliance (APNA, a conglomerate of nationalist Kashmiri parties) and JKLF secretary general, told us:
On July 10, 2003, we held a conference titled ‘Kashmir Unity Conference at khaigala where AJK and Gilgit Baltistan leadership was present. About three hundred delegates attended. We offered a form to all delegates. The form gave the options of independence, joining Pakistan or joining India. The answer was two for India, two for Pakistan and the rest for independence.
Only one international journalist was present—the Reuters correspondent Waheed Kiyani. As soon as he stepped out [of the meeting], he was followed by the ISI and he was arrested at Rawalakot. He told me that they kept him blindfolded and his camera/photos were confiscated and he was taken to the ISI headquarters and torture cell near Rawalakot. We went to Rawalpindi in Pakistan and informed Reuters. Kiyani was released two days later, on July 12. On the same day we attended a seminar in Muzaffarabad. Kiyani covered the event. He was called on stage by General Anwar, the AJK President who told him in full public view to ‘forget it and be grateful you are alive, and offer thanksgiving prayers. In this atmosphere of shameless open coercion, it is no surprise that Kiyani wants to put the incident behind him and is hesitant to talk about it now. This is the reality of press freedoms in AJK. And of course, the rest house where the delegates of the conference were staying was also raided on the same day, July 10. The owner ran away from the scene. The rest house was empty as we had finished and left according to schedule.
The Azad Kashmir government regularly bans books that it considers to be prejudicial to the ideology of the state accession to Pakistan.
This includes all books that propagate or discuss the Kashmiri nationalist discourse with its emphasis on independence for a united Kashmir. Arif Shahid, quoted above, is himself the author of four books banned by the authorities. Muhammad Saeed Asad, a self-described Kashmiri nationalist, is the author of numerous books on Kashmiri affairs, and is employed as a social welfare officer in the Azad Kashmir Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Development when he is not under suspension for writing books to which the government objects. In 2002, he was suspended for writing a book on the Mangla Dam (see above) that questioned Pakistan’s right to water sources originating in Kashmir. Pakistan has banned three books written by Saeed Asad for being anti-state and an attempt to promote nationalist feelings amongst Kashmiris.
These include Shaur-e-Farda, banned in 1996, which comprises letters written by Maqbool Butt to his friends and relatives over a span of two decades (Maqbool Butt, founder of the JKLF, is a
central figure in the Kashmiri nationalist movement.) Saeed Asad book on the Mangla Dam controversy was banned on November 21, 2002, and a book on the Northern Areas (in the grip of unrest due to lack of rights and, as noted above, claimed by Kashmiri nationalists and India as part of Kashmir), was banned in June 2004. He told Human Rights Watch:
Please use my name. We are ready to struggle, I am a man of words and so I will remain in the public domain. My books have been banned because they talk of Kashmiri rights and Kashmiri nationalism. I am a Kashmiri nationalist and why should I not be allowed to call myself such?
I was suspended from my government job for writing on the Mangla Dam issue. The ISI called me upon publication of the book. It was a major in the ISI. He verified that I had compiled the book and had not been forced into writing it. The book represented the views of Kashmiris on Mangla and indicates that Pakistan was exploiting Kashmir for its own gains.Two weeks after publication, I had a three-hour-long meeting with Pakistan Military Intelligence.They told me that this was a sensitive matter and I should not have written about it.The public does not know why you have brought this into the public domain, the officer said. I replied that people had a right to know what Mangla Dam was and who derived advantages from it. It was my national duty, as a Kashmiri, to bring this out. This is precisely your crime,’ the officer said. The meeting had majors from GHQ Rawalpindi and officers from Military Intelligence.You should avoid writing such books. We are placing you under surveillance one said. But, I made it clear to them that I would keep on writing and they could keep on banning my work.
They keep giving me trouble by stopping pay raises, suspending me from the job periodically and posting me from district to district in order to make life difficult. But, I am determined to keep on writing and to keep on working. The government of Pakistan is willing to fund books and propaganda to the tune of millions of dollars to propagate its own views and stance. Why cant we exert our individual efforts to disagree? They brook no dissent and want total and complete control. The Pakistan government just wants to suppress the Kashmiris. I have been repeatedly offered advancement if I support Pakistan. Endless youth in Kashmir who have masters and professional degrees are unemployed because the government knows they are pro independence.
This is how the Pakistanis, our so-called friends, treat us. We are at war with India so they persecute us. We are not at war here but they persecute us anyway. Would you like to have such friends? Would you want to live under such rule? No you would not. So why should we?
The October 8, 2005 earthquake resulted in a considerable weakening of the Pakistani government ability to curb freedom of expression and information in the territory. The influx of international and Pakistani media into the territory in the aftermath of the earthquake was unprecedented. However, for freedom of expression to take root in Azad Kashmir, the external media presence must be systematized into permanent structures such as news bureaus and regional offices.
Electronic media and telecommunications
As with the print media, prior to the earthquake the only radio station allowed to operate in the territory was the Azad Kashmir Radio, a subsidiary of the state-controlled Radio Pakistan. Typically, state-run radio and television news programs present news according to priorities of state protocol rather than newsworthiness that is, a news bulletin will begin with the engagements and observations of the president of Pakistan and make its way down the official pecking order to the local level. The influx of and consequent competition from satellite channels has, as yet, not resulted in a change in the news culture of state-controlled media. Subsequent to the earthquake, the government allowed a private FM radio station to broadcast in the territory as long as the broadcast is limited to entertainment.
(In November 2005, Pakistan government-run electronic media regulatory authority, PEMRA, stopped three local (Pakistani) partners of the BBC from broadcasting two daily thirty-minute earthquake specials” produced by the BBCUrdu service. PEMRA officials, accompanied by dozens of armed policemen, seized equipment from one of the local partners’ Karachi offices and ordered two satellite television partners to stop running news content from the BBC.
Pakistan information minister declined to comment on the incident when approached by the BBC. Though the “earthquake specials resumed after an outcry by international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the government of Pakistan appears unwilling to tolerate critical reporting of events in Azad Kashmir not just in the territory, but across Pakistan.)
Before the earthquake, telephone landlines were limited and strictly monitored in Azad Kashmir and only a limited mobile telephone service was operational. All telecommunications stations were controlled by the Special Communications Organization (SCO), which is a functional unit of the Pakistani army. Subsequent to the earthquake, the Pakistani government allowed private Pakistani mobile phone companies to operate in Azad Kashmir but only after it was pointed out that the loss of life could have been lessened and the rescue effort made easier, particularly in the major cities, had victims buried under rubble been able to use mobile phones as they did in Islamabad and quake-affected areas in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province.
58 Public protest Official repression of freedom of expression is not limited to controls and censorship specific to Kashmiri nationalists and journalists. Pakistani police used lahtis (canes) and rifle butts to break up a peaceful demonstration in Muzaffarabad on November 11, 2005, by approximately two hundred earthquake survivors protesting eviction from their makeshift camp. Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that police arrived early at the Jalalabad Garden camp that day and told the quake victims that they had to leave by sunset. Several protestors, including children, were injured as a result of police efforts to break up the demonstration. A Muzaffarabad journalist told Human Rights Watch that when he asked a senior administration official to order the police to stop the violence, the official responded, What else do you expect the police to do? We can hardly tolerate this sort of behavior from these people. If they dont behave they will
get beaten of course.
The oath is based on Article7(2) of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act of 1974, and in addition to holding political office or being appointed to a government job, the submission of a signed declaration to the same effect is required in order to publish books or periodicals.
Human Rights Watch interview with local journalist, Azad Kashmir, July 29, 2005. interview with Arif Shahid, Rawalakot, July 28, 2005. Human Rights Watch interview with Kamila Hyat, Joint Director, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Lahore, September 14, 2006.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act 1974, art. 7(2).The letter of suspension to Saeed Asad is on file with Human Rights Watch. Maqbool Butt is considered a hero by Kashmiri nationalists and the founder of the movement for an independent Kashmir. He was disliked almost equally by India and Pakistan, and viewed as a terrorist by the former and a double agent by the latter. He was hanged on February 11, 1984, in Tihar Jail, New Delhi, age forty-five, and buried there. The complex history of the Northern Areas (NA) is intricately linked to the Kashmir dispute. Since 1947-48, the NA have been administered by Pakistan although they are not legally part of it as they find no mention in the constitution of Pakistan and are neither a province of Pakistan nor an autonomous territory having a constitutional status of its own like Azad Kashmir. Though Pakistan blames the constitutional limbo the NA is in on its unresolved dispute with India over Kashmir, it has chosen to separate the territory from Azad Kashmir. Both Kashmiri nationalists and India disagree with Pakistani policy in this regard.
Human Rights Watch interview with Saeed Asad, Rawalakot. July 30, 2005
Contributed by Editor Sunday, 01 October 2006.
Tight controls on freedom of expression have been a hallmark of the Pakistani government’s policy in Azad Kashmir. This control is highly selective.
Militant organizations have had free rein—particularly between 1991 and 2001—to propagate their views and disseminate literature. However, those supportive of independence for a united Kashmir, or otherwise critical of the Pakistani government, have faced continual repression.
Loyalty oath
No person in Azad Kashmir can be appointed to any government job, including the judiciary, unless he or she expresses loyalty to the concept of Kashmir accession to Pakistan. The oath of office for the president, prime minister, speaker, member of the legislative assembly or the Azad Kashmir Council also incorporates the following statement: I will remain loyal to the country and the cause of accession of the state of Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan.”49 (The consequences of not taking the oath for persons seeking political office are discussed below, in Chapter V.)
Print media and publishing
The Pakistani government has long limited dissemination of news in Azad Kashmir. There is no locally-based news agency. Azad Kashmir only has one daily newspaper and so people largely rely on local editions of Pakistani newspapers for news and information. The laws governing publications provide a partial explanation for this barren information landscape: in order to publish within the territory, newspapers and periodicals need to be granted permission by the Kashmir Council and the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs in Islamabad. These bodies are unlikely to grant permission to any proposed publication likely to be sympathetic to any discourse on Kashmir and its affairs other than that sanctioned by the Pakistani government. In any case, the publisher would have to sign the declaration of support to accession to Pakistan mentioned above.
Technically, the same rules apply to the publication of books.
Human Rights Watch spoke extensively to working journalists and writers in the major towns of Azad Kashmir. Members of the press complained of the intrusive and coercive policies of the Azad Kashmir government but particularly of the ISI and the Pakistani military. Almost every journalist interviewed described incidents of coercion, intimidation, threats and occasional violence against the media by the military, its intelligence agencies, and militant groups.
Consequently, self-censorship has been as endemic as coercion. It is indicative of the climate of fear that pervades Azad Kashmir that while journalists were forthcoming in describing incidents off-the-record, virtually all interviewed by Human Rights Watch requested not to be quoted, even anonymously. Their rationale was that Azad Kashmir was a relatively small territory and they would be easily identifiable through the specifics of the incident described. One journalist explained his reasons to Human Rights Watch in these words:
You will go away. We have to live and work here. Our families live here. The ISI is very powerful. It is also very unforgiving. The officer who presided over my beating is still serving. Even if he was not, he would inform his successor of the “disciplinary action taken against me and to keep an eye on me. If they dont want to be blamed themselves, they will instruct one of the jihadi groups to teach me a lesson. I know freedom of expression is important but not important enough to die for. At least not to me. Sometimes they just summon you for no reason at all.
On some flimsy excuse. Someone with a similar name writes something unrelated to Kashmir in some part of Pakistan but the army or the jihadis decide it is you. They also force you to create and kill news according to what suits them. Things are bad. You have heard how bad from many of us. Just dont mention my name, that’s all.50 Waheed Kiyani, a local journalist working for the Reuters news agency, was arbitrarily arrested by the ISI on July 10, 2003, as he was returning from the city of Rawalakot after covering a political meeting. For security reasons, Kiyani was unwilling to talk to Human Rights Watch. However, Human Rights Watch interviewed others including the organizers of the meeting who described what happened. Arif Shahid, chairman of the All Parties Nationalist Alliance (APNA, a conglomerate of nationalist Kashmiri parties) and JKLF secretary general, told us:
On July 10, 2003, we held a conference titled ‘Kashmir Unity Conference at khaigala where AJK and Gilgit Baltistan leadership was present. About three hundred delegates attended. We offered a form to all delegates. The form gave the options of independence, joining Pakistan or joining India. The answer was two for India, two for Pakistan and the rest for independence.
Only one international journalist was present—the Reuters correspondent Waheed Kiyani. As soon as he stepped out [of the meeting], he was followed by the ISI and he was arrested at Rawalakot. He told me that they kept him blindfolded and his camera/photos were confiscated and he was taken to the ISI headquarters and torture cell near Rawalakot. We went to Rawalpindi in Pakistan and informed Reuters. Kiyani was released two days later, on July 12. On the same day we attended a seminar in Muzaffarabad. Kiyani covered the event. He was called on stage by General Anwar, the AJK President who told him in full public view to ‘forget it and be grateful you are alive, and offer thanksgiving prayers. In this atmosphere of shameless open coercion, it is no surprise that Kiyani wants to put the incident behind him and is hesitant to talk about it now. This is the reality of press freedoms in AJK. And of course, the rest house where the delegates of the conference were staying was also raided on the same day, July 10. The owner ran away from the scene. The rest house was empty as we had finished and left according to schedule.
The Azad Kashmir government regularly bans books that it considers to be prejudicial to the ideology of the state accession to Pakistan.
This includes all books that propagate or discuss the Kashmiri nationalist discourse with its emphasis on independence for a united Kashmir. Arif Shahid, quoted above, is himself the author of four books banned by the authorities. Muhammad Saeed Asad, a self-described Kashmiri nationalist, is the author of numerous books on Kashmiri affairs, and is employed as a social welfare officer in the Azad Kashmir Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Development when he is not under suspension for writing books to which the government objects. In 2002, he was suspended for writing a book on the Mangla Dam (see above) that questioned Pakistan’s right to water sources originating in Kashmir. Pakistan has banned three books written by Saeed Asad for being anti-state and an attempt to promote nationalist feelings amongst Kashmiris.
These include Shaur-e-Farda, banned in 1996, which comprises letters written by Maqbool Butt to his friends and relatives over a span of two decades (Maqbool Butt, founder of the JKLF, is a
central figure in the Kashmiri nationalist movement.) Saeed Asad book on the Mangla Dam controversy was banned on November 21, 2002, and a book on the Northern Areas (in the grip of unrest due to lack of rights and, as noted above, claimed by Kashmiri nationalists and India as part of Kashmir), was banned in June 2004. He told Human Rights Watch:
Please use my name. We are ready to struggle, I am a man of words and so I will remain in the public domain. My books have been banned because they talk of Kashmiri rights and Kashmiri nationalism. I am a Kashmiri nationalist and why should I not be allowed to call myself such?
I was suspended from my government job for writing on the Mangla Dam issue. The ISI called me upon publication of the book. It was a major in the ISI. He verified that I had compiled the book and had not been forced into writing it. The book represented the views of Kashmiris on Mangla and indicates that Pakistan was exploiting Kashmir for its own gains.Two weeks after publication, I had a three-hour-long meeting with Pakistan Military Intelligence.They told me that this was a sensitive matter and I should not have written about it.The public does not know why you have brought this into the public domain, the officer said. I replied that people had a right to know what Mangla Dam was and who derived advantages from it. It was my national duty, as a Kashmiri, to bring this out. This is precisely your crime,’ the officer said. The meeting had majors from GHQ Rawalpindi and officers from Military Intelligence.You should avoid writing such books. We are placing you under surveillance one said. But, I made it clear to them that I would keep on writing and they could keep on banning my work.
They keep giving me trouble by stopping pay raises, suspending me from the job periodically and posting me from district to district in order to make life difficult. But, I am determined to keep on writing and to keep on working. The government of Pakistan is willing to fund books and propaganda to the tune of millions of dollars to propagate its own views and stance. Why cant we exert our individual efforts to disagree? They brook no dissent and want total and complete control. The Pakistan government just wants to suppress the Kashmiris. I have been repeatedly offered advancement if I support Pakistan. Endless youth in Kashmir who have masters and professional degrees are unemployed because the government knows they are pro independence.
This is how the Pakistanis, our so-called friends, treat us. We are at war with India so they persecute us. We are not at war here but they persecute us anyway. Would you like to have such friends? Would you want to live under such rule? No you would not. So why should we?
The October 8, 2005 earthquake resulted in a considerable weakening of the Pakistani government ability to curb freedom of expression and information in the territory. The influx of international and Pakistani media into the territory in the aftermath of the earthquake was unprecedented. However, for freedom of expression to take root in Azad Kashmir, the external media presence must be systematized into permanent structures such as news bureaus and regional offices.
Electronic media and telecommunications
As with the print media, prior to the earthquake the only radio station allowed to operate in the territory was the Azad Kashmir Radio, a subsidiary of the state-controlled Radio Pakistan. Typically, state-run radio and television news programs present news according to priorities of state protocol rather than newsworthiness that is, a news bulletin will begin with the engagements and observations of the president of Pakistan and make its way down the official pecking order to the local level. The influx of and consequent competition from satellite channels has, as yet, not resulted in a change in the news culture of state-controlled media. Subsequent to the earthquake, the government allowed a private FM radio station to broadcast in the territory as long as the broadcast is limited to entertainment.
(In November 2005, Pakistan government-run electronic media regulatory authority, PEMRA, stopped three local (Pakistani) partners of the BBC from broadcasting two daily thirty-minute earthquake specials” produced by the BBCUrdu service. PEMRA officials, accompanied by dozens of armed policemen, seized equipment from one of the local partners’ Karachi offices and ordered two satellite television partners to stop running news content from the BBC.
Pakistan information minister declined to comment on the incident when approached by the BBC. Though the “earthquake specials resumed after an outcry by international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the government of Pakistan appears unwilling to tolerate critical reporting of events in Azad Kashmir not just in the territory, but across Pakistan.)
Before the earthquake, telephone landlines were limited and strictly monitored in Azad Kashmir and only a limited mobile telephone service was operational. All telecommunications stations were controlled by the Special Communications Organization (SCO), which is a functional unit of the Pakistani army. Subsequent to the earthquake, the Pakistani government allowed private Pakistani mobile phone companies to operate in Azad Kashmir but only after it was pointed out that the loss of life could have been lessened and the rescue effort made easier, particularly in the major cities, had victims buried under rubble been able to use mobile phones as they did in Islamabad and quake-affected areas in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province.
58 Public protest Official repression of freedom of expression is not limited to controls and censorship specific to Kashmiri nationalists and journalists. Pakistani police used lahtis (canes) and rifle butts to break up a peaceful demonstration in Muzaffarabad on November 11, 2005, by approximately two hundred earthquake survivors protesting eviction from their makeshift camp. Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that police arrived early at the Jalalabad Garden camp that day and told the quake victims that they had to leave by sunset. Several protestors, including children, were injured as a result of police efforts to break up the demonstration. A Muzaffarabad journalist told Human Rights Watch that when he asked a senior administration official to order the police to stop the violence, the official responded, What else do you expect the police to do? We can hardly tolerate this sort of behavior from these people. If they dont behave they will
get beaten of course.
The oath is based on Article7(2) of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act of 1974, and in addition to holding political office or being appointed to a government job, the submission of a signed declaration to the same effect is required in order to publish books or periodicals.
Human Rights Watch interview with local journalist, Azad Kashmir, July 29, 2005. interview with Arif Shahid, Rawalakot, July 28, 2005. Human Rights Watch interview with Kamila Hyat, Joint Director, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Lahore, September 14, 2006.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act 1974, art. 7(2).The letter of suspension to Saeed Asad is on file with Human Rights Watch. Maqbool Butt is considered a hero by Kashmiri nationalists and the founder of the movement for an independent Kashmir. He was disliked almost equally by India and Pakistan, and viewed as a terrorist by the former and a double agent by the latter. He was hanged on February 11, 1984, in Tihar Jail, New Delhi, age forty-five, and buried there. The complex history of the Northern Areas (NA) is intricately linked to the Kashmir dispute. Since 1947-48, the NA have been administered by Pakistan although they are not legally part of it as they find no mention in the constitution of Pakistan and are neither a province of Pakistan nor an autonomous territory having a constitutional status of its own like Azad Kashmir. Though Pakistan blames the constitutional limbo the NA is in on its unresolved dispute with India over Kashmir, it has chosen to separate the territory from Azad Kashmir. Both Kashmiri nationalists and India disagree with Pakistani policy in this regard.
Human Rights Watch interview with Saeed Asad, Rawalakot. July 30, 2005
Friday, 22 July 2011
UN Resolutions ask Pakistan to vacate Kashmir, Dr Shabir Choudhry
UN Resolutions ask Pakistan to vacate Kashmir, Dr Shabir Choudhry
Pakistan and pro Pakistan Kashmiris demand implementation of the UN Resolutions and demand that India should withdraw her forces from Kashmir. It is in this context the author responded to an article in a paper.
Many people think that the UN Resolutions on Kashmir ask India to withdraw her forces from Kashmir. This is not true. And more disturbing is the trend of distorting the facts. It is possible that some of these people have a little knowledge on Kashmir; and some of course, deliberately distort facts to please others.
Mr Farooq Kitchlew often expresses his opinion in newspapers, and he has every right to do that, but he must not fabricate the facts. In his letter, ‘Only one solution’ (The News, 1 March 1999), he wrote:
“Let the Kashmiris decide their own future through a fair and impartial plebiscite conducted by the United Nations. That is the only wise and sane solution of this most difficult and thorny problem. Let India withdraw her forces from Kashmir and face the verdict of the people of Kashmir”
Mr Kitchlew and many others who think that only India has to withdraw her forces from Kashmir should read little more on Kashmir. The UN Resolution of 13 August 1948 accepted by both India and Pakistan clearly asks Pakistan to withdraw her forces, and India is to withdraw only ‘bulk’ of her forces, not all of them as assumed by many. For the benefit of readers I quote from the UN Resolution, part 2, section A, paragraph 1:
“As the presence of troops of Pakistan in the territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir constitutes a material change in the situation since it was represented by the Government of Pakistan before the Security Council, the Government of Pakistan agrees to withdraw its troops from the State.”
Paragraph 2: “The Government of Pakistan will use its best endeavour to secure the withdrawal from the State of Jammu and Kashmir of tribesmen and Pakistan nationals not normally resident therein who have entered the State for the purpose of fighting.”
Section B, paragraph 1: “When the Commission shall have notified the Government of India that the tribesmen and Pakistan nationals referred to in Part 2 A2 hereof have withdrawn, thereby terminating the situation which was represented by the Government of India to the Security Council as having occasioned the presence of Indian forces in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and further, that the Pakistan forces are being withdrawn from the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India agrees to begin to withdraw the bulk of their forces from that State in stages to be agreed upon with the Commission.”
One can see that it is Pakistan who has to withdraw all of her forces from the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and once that is completed, India has to withdraw ‘bulk’ of her forces in stages to be agreed with the Commission. We all know that Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan are parts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and these areas are under the direct control of Pakistan.
This being the case how on earth can we ask India to withdraw all of her forces which people seem to be demanding all the time. By all means criticise India for her wrong doings and especially wide - scale human rights violations in Kashmir. But when we start distorting the historical facts it goes in India’s favour, they say other things like human rights violations are also distorted.
I hope people reading this take it as an attempt to correct the historical facts, not to criticise any individual. We should also learn to criticise Pakistan government and the Kashmiri leaders for their wrong doings.
By criticising India alone and raising slogans like “crush India” we are not helping the situation. We must learn to solve our differences through continued dialogue and live like good neighbours. People of the Indian Sub – Continent are among the poorest in the world and instead of spending huge amount of money on arms we need to channel these resources for the welfare of the poor people.
Pakistan and pro Pakistan Kashmiris demand implementation of the UN Resolutions and demand that India should withdraw her forces from Kashmir. It is in this context the author responded to an article in a paper.
Many people think that the UN Resolutions on Kashmir ask India to withdraw her forces from Kashmir. This is not true. And more disturbing is the trend of distorting the facts. It is possible that some of these people have a little knowledge on Kashmir; and some of course, deliberately distort facts to please others.
Mr Farooq Kitchlew often expresses his opinion in newspapers, and he has every right to do that, but he must not fabricate the facts. In his letter, ‘Only one solution’ (The News, 1 March 1999), he wrote:
“Let the Kashmiris decide their own future through a fair and impartial plebiscite conducted by the United Nations. That is the only wise and sane solution of this most difficult and thorny problem. Let India withdraw her forces from Kashmir and face the verdict of the people of Kashmir”
Mr Kitchlew and many others who think that only India has to withdraw her forces from Kashmir should read little more on Kashmir. The UN Resolution of 13 August 1948 accepted by both India and Pakistan clearly asks Pakistan to withdraw her forces, and India is to withdraw only ‘bulk’ of her forces, not all of them as assumed by many. For the benefit of readers I quote from the UN Resolution, part 2, section A, paragraph 1:
“As the presence of troops of Pakistan in the territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir constitutes a material change in the situation since it was represented by the Government of Pakistan before the Security Council, the Government of Pakistan agrees to withdraw its troops from the State.”
Paragraph 2: “The Government of Pakistan will use its best endeavour to secure the withdrawal from the State of Jammu and Kashmir of tribesmen and Pakistan nationals not normally resident therein who have entered the State for the purpose of fighting.”
Section B, paragraph 1: “When the Commission shall have notified the Government of India that the tribesmen and Pakistan nationals referred to in Part 2 A2 hereof have withdrawn, thereby terminating the situation which was represented by the Government of India to the Security Council as having occasioned the presence of Indian forces in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and further, that the Pakistan forces are being withdrawn from the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India agrees to begin to withdraw the bulk of their forces from that State in stages to be agreed upon with the Commission.”
One can see that it is Pakistan who has to withdraw all of her forces from the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and once that is completed, India has to withdraw ‘bulk’ of her forces in stages to be agreed with the Commission. We all know that Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan are parts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and these areas are under the direct control of Pakistan.
This being the case how on earth can we ask India to withdraw all of her forces which people seem to be demanding all the time. By all means criticise India for her wrong doings and especially wide - scale human rights violations in Kashmir. But when we start distorting the historical facts it goes in India’s favour, they say other things like human rights violations are also distorted.
I hope people reading this take it as an attempt to correct the historical facts, not to criticise any individual. We should also learn to criticise Pakistan government and the Kashmiri leaders for their wrong doings.
By criticising India alone and raising slogans like “crush India” we are not helping the situation. We must learn to solve our differences through continued dialogue and live like good neighbours. People of the Indian Sub – Continent are among the poorest in the world and instead of spending huge amount of money on arms we need to channel these resources for the welfare of the poor people.
Mirwaiz rules out chances of Hurriyat re-unification
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Mirwaiz rules out chances of Hurriyat re-unification
‘Willing to discuss everything with New Delhi apart from status quo’
http://www.knskashmir.com/index.php/interviews/929-mirwaiz-rules-out-chances-of-hurriyat-re-unification
Srinagar, June 29 (KNS): The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Tuesday ruled out any chance of re-unification with Hurriyat Conference (G) led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, saying all efforts made by him proved futile.
In an exclusive interview with KNS Mirwaiz said, “We tried our level best for the re-unification, but alas… Now there is no scope for it.”
Asked whom would he blame for re-unification failure, he said, “I don’t want to go into the blame game. I personally went to (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani sahib and tried to convince him for reunification in the interests of the freedom movement. Last year during summer uprising, we tried to develop unified approach with Geelani sahib, but it also didn’t work.” “Now let bygones be bygones. We have to try to accommodate each others views now and that will be the best possible option. They have there own position we have our own, though goal of both is same,” he told KNS.
Asked to comment on senior Hurriyat (M) leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah’s allegations that ‘invisible hands’ were responsible for failure of Hurriyat re-unification process, he said, “He (Shah) will be in a better position to explain the invisible hands.”
The Hurriyat (M) chairman advocated for incremental approach for resolving Kashmir issue. “Solution of Kashmir issue has to be step-by-step process. We are willing to discuss everything with New Delhi apart from status quo.”
Asked whether his faction of Hurriyat was willing to enter into a dialogue with New Delhi, he said, “We aren’t against dialogue in any way. But dialogue shouldn’t be for sake of the dialogue. Neither New Delhi and Islamabad have been able to made any headway in dialogue in past nor they can reach in future without the inclusion of Kashmiris.”
To a question whether there was any contact between Hurriyat and New Delhi Mirwaiz said, “We are in touch with some people from civil society. But there is no contact at official level.”
However, Mirwaiz regretted that New Delhi was delay-dallying the process of resolution of Kashmir issue. “After last years massive uprising, there was a chance for Government of India to address the root cause of the problem. But unfortunately they still believe in delay-dally tactics and are happy with status quo,” he told KNS.
He said Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) can be basis for the solution. “But it (CBMs) can’t be final solution. CBMs can create conducive atmosphere for dialogue. Dialogue has to be either trilateral or tripartite, then only it can succeed,” Umar added.
On former Pakistan President, Parvez Musharaf’s 4-point Kashmir formula the Hurriyat (M) chairman said, “Any formula can be interim experiment but not the final solution.”
On last year’s summer unrest, Umar said, “We took things to crescendo first where from it was bound to come down as it was difficult to sustain the momentum.”
Asked whether Hurriyat had become irrelevant after last year’s ‘failed’ uprising, he said, “These are clichés. Hurriyat or no Hurriyat, leader or no leader, sentiment is deep rooted in Kashmir. Ups and downs are part of any movement. Some times tempo is high and sometimes it’s low.”
“Kashmir issue is very much alive and new generation has taken over the sentiment. Ours is an indigenous movement and New Delhi should accept that. There is lack of political understanding in New Delhi,” he added. (KNS)
Mirwaiz rules out chances of Hurriyat re-unification
‘Willing to discuss everything with New Delhi apart from status quo’
http://www.knskashmir.com/index.php/interviews/929-mirwaiz-rules-out-chances-of-hurriyat-re-unification
Srinagar, June 29 (KNS): The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Tuesday ruled out any chance of re-unification with Hurriyat Conference (G) led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, saying all efforts made by him proved futile.
In an exclusive interview with KNS Mirwaiz said, “We tried our level best for the re-unification, but alas… Now there is no scope for it.”
Asked whom would he blame for re-unification failure, he said, “I don’t want to go into the blame game. I personally went to (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani sahib and tried to convince him for reunification in the interests of the freedom movement. Last year during summer uprising, we tried to develop unified approach with Geelani sahib, but it also didn’t work.” “Now let bygones be bygones. We have to try to accommodate each others views now and that will be the best possible option. They have there own position we have our own, though goal of both is same,” he told KNS.
Asked to comment on senior Hurriyat (M) leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah’s allegations that ‘invisible hands’ were responsible for failure of Hurriyat re-unification process, he said, “He (Shah) will be in a better position to explain the invisible hands.”
The Hurriyat (M) chairman advocated for incremental approach for resolving Kashmir issue. “Solution of Kashmir issue has to be step-by-step process. We are willing to discuss everything with New Delhi apart from status quo.”
Asked whether his faction of Hurriyat was willing to enter into a dialogue with New Delhi, he said, “We aren’t against dialogue in any way. But dialogue shouldn’t be for sake of the dialogue. Neither New Delhi and Islamabad have been able to made any headway in dialogue in past nor they can reach in future without the inclusion of Kashmiris.”
To a question whether there was any contact between Hurriyat and New Delhi Mirwaiz said, “We are in touch with some people from civil society. But there is no contact at official level.”
However, Mirwaiz regretted that New Delhi was delay-dallying the process of resolution of Kashmir issue. “After last years massive uprising, there was a chance for Government of India to address the root cause of the problem. But unfortunately they still believe in delay-dally tactics and are happy with status quo,” he told KNS.
He said Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) can be basis for the solution. “But it (CBMs) can’t be final solution. CBMs can create conducive atmosphere for dialogue. Dialogue has to be either trilateral or tripartite, then only it can succeed,” Umar added.
On former Pakistan President, Parvez Musharaf’s 4-point Kashmir formula the Hurriyat (M) chairman said, “Any formula can be interim experiment but not the final solution.”
On last year’s summer unrest, Umar said, “We took things to crescendo first where from it was bound to come down as it was difficult to sustain the momentum.”
Asked whether Hurriyat had become irrelevant after last year’s ‘failed’ uprising, he said, “These are clichés. Hurriyat or no Hurriyat, leader or no leader, sentiment is deep rooted in Kashmir. Ups and downs are part of any movement. Some times tempo is high and sometimes it’s low.”
“Kashmir issue is very much alive and new generation has taken over the sentiment. Ours is an indigenous movement and New Delhi should accept that. There is lack of political understanding in New Delhi,” he added. (KNS)
An Open Letter To Syed Ali Shah Geelani
An Open Letter To Syed Ali Shah Geelani September 11, 2010
Filed under: kashmir — admin @ 9:57 am
Tags: india, kashmir, KASHMIR BLOG, kashmir blogs, kashmiri muslims, kashmiri pamdits, open letter, pakistan, syed ali shah geelani
Website Link is below:
http://www.kashmirherald.com/featuredarticle/openlettertojeelani.html
Mr. Syed Ali Shah Geelani,
Now that Yasin Mallik has openly accused you of exploiting Islam, I feel vindicated. I along with lakhs of my fellow Kashmiri Pandits have always held that view. All the displaced Kashmiri Pandits hold the exploiters of Islam responsible for the loss of their moorings. I believe no religion including Islam will permit the barbaric persecution of a minority. I also believe in the inherent philosophy of love and brotherhood that was propagated by all messengers of God, whom Hindus call Avtars and Muslims call Prophet. I am not a great student of religion and, therefore, I cannot have an in-depth knowledge of the philosophies behind the great faiths, but I am sure no religion teaches hatred for fellow human beings. It is the hypocrites like you who have not only brought misery to their fellow beings but have also tarnished the name of their religion.
I don’t know you personally and except on one occasion, we have never crossed paths with each other. Whatever impression I have about you has been gathered through your writings, speeches and media interviews. And, of course, my very brief silent confrontation with you nearly a quarter century back has been responsible for my firming an opinion and image about you being a fundamentalist involved in exploiting the delicate religious feelings of the people for the furtherance of your political ideology. Though, you will not be able to recall that incident but I still nurture the vivid memories of that afternoon as it gave me the first hand impressions of dichotomy between your preaching and practice. One day, it would have been either 1980 or 1981, when as a fresh man out of the college and on the threshold of starting my career as a Medical Representative, I found myself stranded in the village of Doabgah on the Baramulla- Sopore road. My companion, that day, was another young man from Sopore who was also in the process of establishing his pharmaceutical business. While in the village, we found you addressing a small congregation in a nearby open space. It was a fiery speech full of political rhetoric and religious fire. As a young Pandit boy, I found your speech mortally scaring and intimidating. I desperately wanted to leave the village, though my companion, a great fan of yours, kept constantly reassuring me about your virtues of not differentiating between the people of different faiths. Nevertheless, a lone non-muslim amongst the sentimentally charged populace was proving to be beyond my comfort levels. Unfortunately, due to some blockade enroute, no buses were coming from the Baramulla side, which could have taken me away to Sopore on way to the security of my home in Srinagar. Meanwhile, we kept waiting for the busses that never came. Some time latter you finished your address and we were given to understand that you would be going back to Sopore in your vehicle. My friend, out of concern for my eagerness to reach home, volunteered to request you for giving me a lift up to Sopore. I was hesitant but on his assurance I allowed him to approach you with the request. Soon I saw him returning with his head down, cheeks red and the expression that told the whole story. As usual, the Almighty was both merciful as well as beneficent that day. Some time later a taxi screeched to stop besides me. It was my neighbour driving home after dropping somebody in another village. Many years latter I learnt at the very beginning of the Holy Quran, the first invocation reads, “In the name of GOD, the most Merciful and Beneficent.” And throughout the holy Quran, GOD’s name is thus invoked no less than 113 times. I also believe the Prophet is quoted as saying “O Ali, the best of qualities in this life and there after are the words of courtesy, generosity, and to forgive those who inflict injustice on you.” I know for sure, that taxi driver is an illiterate person and would not able to interpret the subtle niceties of religious scriptures, but that day he proved to be a true follower and practitioner of his faith. I wish I could speak the same about you the one who claims to lead his life according to divine commands and prophetic sayings.
At times, I also feel you are a confused person who isn’t clear about his objectives. On one hand you claim Iqaamat-e-Deen as your objective as Maulvi Abbas Ansari and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, according to you, are now drawing inspiration from “un-islamic ideologies like secularism, socialism, nationalism and even communism.” Yet, on the other hand you want Kashmir to become a part of Pakistan even though you also believe Pakistan rulers have not been able to live up to the moral standards which Islam demands.
You have been highly critical of some leaders whom you believe have not been acting in the true spirit of Islam and claim you invite people towards Islam and present its philosophy as a complete way of life. I have no objections towards any body living by the tenants of his faith. But, one can’t only practice what is politically convenient for him. How can you explain the exodus of an entire populace of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir? You are against secularism and pluralism, which in itself points towards your practice of exploiting the religion to suit your own agenda. I gather, when Prophet Mohammad took over the administration of Yathrib (Madina), its population consisted mostly of two large Arab (Aws) and three Jewish ( Khazraj) tribes. The Madinan Arabs wanted the Prophet to administer the strife torn city as an outsider with no vested interests in the local disputes. They also wanted this potential messiah to be part of their group and not the rival Jewish tribe. Upon arrival in Madina, the Prophet set about getting all parties together to sign a covenant, which would set standards for pluralism, tolerance and cooperation between various religious and ethnic communities. The covenant gave equality to all its citizens and accepted the coexistence of different religions in the community. The messiah’s inspiration was the Holy Quran, which makes it incumbent upon Muslims to accept and respect all the previous messengers without distinction.
“The Apostle believeth in what had been revealed to him from his Lord, as do men of faith. Each one of them believeth in God. His angels, His books and his Apostles. We make no distinction between any of his Apostles.” (Quran 2:285)
The Holy Quran states on more than one occasion that if people, Jews, Christians and Sabeans lived by their tenets they would have their just reward. ” Verily they who believe and they whom are Jews, Christains, Sabeans whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does that which is right shall have their reward with their Lord. Fear shall not come upon then neither shall they grieve.” (Quran 2: 62)
Your assertion of only Nizam-e-Mustafa being the ultimate goal for your Tehreek-e- Hurriyat goes against not only the traditions laid down by Bul Bul Shah, Shahmir, Badshah, Nund Reshi etc, whom your co-religionists in Kashmir hold in very high esteem, but it is also against the teachings of the Quran. Nizam-e-Mustafa in a hundred percent Muslim society is understandable but in a society as diverse as Kashmir, it would amount to coercion. My small study has been able to find at least three references in the Holy Quran, which say, ” There is no compulsion in matters of faith.” (Quran 2.256, 10.99 and 18.99)
Many Muslim scholars and writers have described the propagation of Nizam-e- Mustafa as an exploitative tool employed by certain people to serve their purpose. These writers even claim, slogans like Nizam-e-Mustafa have been deliberately kept vague by its propagators to create confusion among the masses. These writers further claim since the concepts of “Aqamat-e-Deen”, (Establishment of Deen), “Hakoomat-e-Illahia”,(Government of Allah) or “Islamic Nizam” failed to cut much ice with the society earlier, a new term “Nizam-e-Mustafa” was invented. Further, concept attached to it varies form sect to sect. Different Islamic sects have even disagreement on the personality of Mustafa, let alone “Nizam-e- Mustafa”. It is pertinent to point out here that in 1951 twenty one Muslim religious scholars from different sects passed a unanimous resolution demanding all Government Laws in Pakistan be based on “The Book(Holy Quran) and Sunna”. Twenty years later, Maulana Madoodi, one of the main supporters of the resolution had to declare, ” It is impossible to make a set of public laws as per The Book and the Sunna which all Muslim sects will unanimously accept as Islamic”. In an article published by Idara Tolu-e-Islam, Lahore in 1977, the writer has made a significant observation, which says, ” The flag bearers of Nizam-e-Mustafa belonging to various Islamic sects have their own Fiqah (Jurisprudence). It is evident as all these sects considere their own Fiqah as unchallengeable Islamic law, no set of laws could be made which will be acceptable to all, their differences are so deep that each one of them have declared the other as Kafir , at one time or other.
You have also strange logic for justifying the militant activities of fidayeen by terms their violence as sacrifice. Nothing can amount to more blatant exploitation of religion then that. “….. and GOD calls to the home of peace.” (10:25). Kashmir press is now openly accusing you of playing your politics as a Pakistani stooge and interpreting the religion to suit your convenience.
You may have your reasons for playing the politics the way you do. The justification of that politics is a subject matter of a different debate, however, one needs to understand enough blood has been spilled over the beautiful vale of Kashmir. The madness needs to stop now. Otherwise, the history will not pardon the people who have prostituted Kashmir according to their own peculiar religious and political beliefs.
The author has drawn heavily from the following sources for writing this piece:
Teachings of Islam- Imam Shirazi.
On Islam and Jihad- Dr. Farida Khanum
Questions about Islam, Answers that every muslim should know- Dr. Jamal Badawi.
Islam and Pluralism- Javed Akhtar.
“Sirf Eik Sawal”- English translation by Ubedur Rahman Arain.
The Author of this article is Mr. Kamal Hak
Filed under: kashmir — admin @ 9:57 am
Tags: india, kashmir, KASHMIR BLOG, kashmir blogs, kashmiri muslims, kashmiri pamdits, open letter, pakistan, syed ali shah geelani
Website Link is below:
http://www.kashmirherald.com/featuredarticle/openlettertojeelani.html
Mr. Syed Ali Shah Geelani,
Now that Yasin Mallik has openly accused you of exploiting Islam, I feel vindicated. I along with lakhs of my fellow Kashmiri Pandits have always held that view. All the displaced Kashmiri Pandits hold the exploiters of Islam responsible for the loss of their moorings. I believe no religion including Islam will permit the barbaric persecution of a minority. I also believe in the inherent philosophy of love and brotherhood that was propagated by all messengers of God, whom Hindus call Avtars and Muslims call Prophet. I am not a great student of religion and, therefore, I cannot have an in-depth knowledge of the philosophies behind the great faiths, but I am sure no religion teaches hatred for fellow human beings. It is the hypocrites like you who have not only brought misery to their fellow beings but have also tarnished the name of their religion.
I don’t know you personally and except on one occasion, we have never crossed paths with each other. Whatever impression I have about you has been gathered through your writings, speeches and media interviews. And, of course, my very brief silent confrontation with you nearly a quarter century back has been responsible for my firming an opinion and image about you being a fundamentalist involved in exploiting the delicate religious feelings of the people for the furtherance of your political ideology. Though, you will not be able to recall that incident but I still nurture the vivid memories of that afternoon as it gave me the first hand impressions of dichotomy between your preaching and practice. One day, it would have been either 1980 or 1981, when as a fresh man out of the college and on the threshold of starting my career as a Medical Representative, I found myself stranded in the village of Doabgah on the Baramulla- Sopore road. My companion, that day, was another young man from Sopore who was also in the process of establishing his pharmaceutical business. While in the village, we found you addressing a small congregation in a nearby open space. It was a fiery speech full of political rhetoric and religious fire. As a young Pandit boy, I found your speech mortally scaring and intimidating. I desperately wanted to leave the village, though my companion, a great fan of yours, kept constantly reassuring me about your virtues of not differentiating between the people of different faiths. Nevertheless, a lone non-muslim amongst the sentimentally charged populace was proving to be beyond my comfort levels. Unfortunately, due to some blockade enroute, no buses were coming from the Baramulla side, which could have taken me away to Sopore on way to the security of my home in Srinagar. Meanwhile, we kept waiting for the busses that never came. Some time latter you finished your address and we were given to understand that you would be going back to Sopore in your vehicle. My friend, out of concern for my eagerness to reach home, volunteered to request you for giving me a lift up to Sopore. I was hesitant but on his assurance I allowed him to approach you with the request. Soon I saw him returning with his head down, cheeks red and the expression that told the whole story. As usual, the Almighty was both merciful as well as beneficent that day. Some time later a taxi screeched to stop besides me. It was my neighbour driving home after dropping somebody in another village. Many years latter I learnt at the very beginning of the Holy Quran, the first invocation reads, “In the name of GOD, the most Merciful and Beneficent.” And throughout the holy Quran, GOD’s name is thus invoked no less than 113 times. I also believe the Prophet is quoted as saying “O Ali, the best of qualities in this life and there after are the words of courtesy, generosity, and to forgive those who inflict injustice on you.” I know for sure, that taxi driver is an illiterate person and would not able to interpret the subtle niceties of religious scriptures, but that day he proved to be a true follower and practitioner of his faith. I wish I could speak the same about you the one who claims to lead his life according to divine commands and prophetic sayings.
At times, I also feel you are a confused person who isn’t clear about his objectives. On one hand you claim Iqaamat-e-Deen as your objective as Maulvi Abbas Ansari and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, according to you, are now drawing inspiration from “un-islamic ideologies like secularism, socialism, nationalism and even communism.” Yet, on the other hand you want Kashmir to become a part of Pakistan even though you also believe Pakistan rulers have not been able to live up to the moral standards which Islam demands.
You have been highly critical of some leaders whom you believe have not been acting in the true spirit of Islam and claim you invite people towards Islam and present its philosophy as a complete way of life. I have no objections towards any body living by the tenants of his faith. But, one can’t only practice what is politically convenient for him. How can you explain the exodus of an entire populace of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir? You are against secularism and pluralism, which in itself points towards your practice of exploiting the religion to suit your own agenda. I gather, when Prophet Mohammad took over the administration of Yathrib (Madina), its population consisted mostly of two large Arab (Aws) and three Jewish ( Khazraj) tribes. The Madinan Arabs wanted the Prophet to administer the strife torn city as an outsider with no vested interests in the local disputes. They also wanted this potential messiah to be part of their group and not the rival Jewish tribe. Upon arrival in Madina, the Prophet set about getting all parties together to sign a covenant, which would set standards for pluralism, tolerance and cooperation between various religious and ethnic communities. The covenant gave equality to all its citizens and accepted the coexistence of different religions in the community. The messiah’s inspiration was the Holy Quran, which makes it incumbent upon Muslims to accept and respect all the previous messengers without distinction.
“The Apostle believeth in what had been revealed to him from his Lord, as do men of faith. Each one of them believeth in God. His angels, His books and his Apostles. We make no distinction between any of his Apostles.” (Quran 2:285)
The Holy Quran states on more than one occasion that if people, Jews, Christians and Sabeans lived by their tenets they would have their just reward. ” Verily they who believe and they whom are Jews, Christains, Sabeans whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does that which is right shall have their reward with their Lord. Fear shall not come upon then neither shall they grieve.” (Quran 2: 62)
Your assertion of only Nizam-e-Mustafa being the ultimate goal for your Tehreek-e- Hurriyat goes against not only the traditions laid down by Bul Bul Shah, Shahmir, Badshah, Nund Reshi etc, whom your co-religionists in Kashmir hold in very high esteem, but it is also against the teachings of the Quran. Nizam-e-Mustafa in a hundred percent Muslim society is understandable but in a society as diverse as Kashmir, it would amount to coercion. My small study has been able to find at least three references in the Holy Quran, which say, ” There is no compulsion in matters of faith.” (Quran 2.256, 10.99 and 18.99)
Many Muslim scholars and writers have described the propagation of Nizam-e- Mustafa as an exploitative tool employed by certain people to serve their purpose. These writers even claim, slogans like Nizam-e-Mustafa have been deliberately kept vague by its propagators to create confusion among the masses. These writers further claim since the concepts of “Aqamat-e-Deen”, (Establishment of Deen), “Hakoomat-e-Illahia”,(Government of Allah) or “Islamic Nizam” failed to cut much ice with the society earlier, a new term “Nizam-e-Mustafa” was invented. Further, concept attached to it varies form sect to sect. Different Islamic sects have even disagreement on the personality of Mustafa, let alone “Nizam-e- Mustafa”. It is pertinent to point out here that in 1951 twenty one Muslim religious scholars from different sects passed a unanimous resolution demanding all Government Laws in Pakistan be based on “The Book(Holy Quran) and Sunna”. Twenty years later, Maulana Madoodi, one of the main supporters of the resolution had to declare, ” It is impossible to make a set of public laws as per The Book and the Sunna which all Muslim sects will unanimously accept as Islamic”. In an article published by Idara Tolu-e-Islam, Lahore in 1977, the writer has made a significant observation, which says, ” The flag bearers of Nizam-e-Mustafa belonging to various Islamic sects have their own Fiqah (Jurisprudence). It is evident as all these sects considere their own Fiqah as unchallengeable Islamic law, no set of laws could be made which will be acceptable to all, their differences are so deep that each one of them have declared the other as Kafir , at one time or other.
You have also strange logic for justifying the militant activities of fidayeen by terms their violence as sacrifice. Nothing can amount to more blatant exploitation of religion then that. “….. and GOD calls to the home of peace.” (10:25). Kashmir press is now openly accusing you of playing your politics as a Pakistani stooge and interpreting the religion to suit your convenience.
You may have your reasons for playing the politics the way you do. The justification of that politics is a subject matter of a different debate, however, one needs to understand enough blood has been spilled over the beautiful vale of Kashmir. The madness needs to stop now. Otherwise, the history will not pardon the people who have prostituted Kashmir according to their own peculiar religious and political beliefs.
The author has drawn heavily from the following sources for writing this piece:
Teachings of Islam- Imam Shirazi.
On Islam and Jihad- Dr. Farida Khanum
Questions about Islam, Answers that every muslim should know- Dr. Jamal Badawi.
Islam and Pluralism- Javed Akhtar.
“Sirf Eik Sawal”- English translation by Ubedur Rahman Arain.
The Author of this article is Mr. Kamal Hak
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Details of case against Dr Fai
Details of case against Dr Fai
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60365905/Lobbying-Complaint
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60365905/Lobbying-Complaint
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