KASHMIR NEWS OBSERVER
Thanked the entire Pakistani leadership for observing the February 5 as ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day, while asking government of Pakistan to take cohesive measures for resolving the Kashmir dispute, DPM TSMJK & JKIM
In a joint statement of Democratic Political Movement, Tehreek e Shabab-Ul-Muslimeen JK, and Jammu Kashmir Islamic Movement, in which all the executive members and their respective chairman’s including Firdous Shah, Javid Ah, M Yousuf, M Ayoub, Showkat Ahmad, Mushtaq Ah, Nisar Ah, Imtiyaz Ah, Waseem Ah, Altaf Ahmad, Siraj ud din, Darzi Sahab, Ajaz Ahmad, Rouf Ahmad and Bhat Zeeshan were present, they thanked the Pakistan government as well people of Pakistan while observing national holiday on 5th January. Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-Occupied Kashmir, and to pay homage to Kashmiris who have martyred by Indian occupational forces, Solidarity rallies are held in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The day often marks unrest in Indian controlled Kashmir. Firdous Shah said that Pakistan Government should take cohesive measures for resolving the Kashmir dispute as per the wishes of people of Kashmir.
The Kashmir dispute remains the unfinished part of the partition that resulted in the creation of Pakistan and India. According to the partition plan, all the princely states had the choice to join either of the two countries keeping in view their geography and demography. But the Dogra ruler of the Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, announced the so-called accession of the state to India in total disregard to the aspirations of Kashmiri people under a controversial document “Instrument of Accession”. The decision of Hari Singh caused panic among the people of Jammu and Kashmir and sensing the public anger he had to flee the state paving way for the entry of Indian army in the state on 27 October 1947, which illegally occupied it, setting the partition plan aside and totally disregarding the aspirations of the Kashmiri masses.
The Kashmiri people by virtue of their struggle and sacrifices managed to liberate a vast area of the state that is now known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir in 1948. Sensing defeat to its troops in occupied Kashmir, India knocked at the doors of the United Nations in 1948, asking the World Body to play a role in settling the issue. The Indians, on 15 January 1948, presented their case in the UN which stated following:-
Where it was held to allow the people of Kashmir should remain with India, with Pakistan or remain independent with a right to claim admission as a member of the UN. All this we have recognized to be a matter for unfettered decision by the people of Kashmir.
Firdous Shah said that in response to India’s case, the Security Council adopted a resolution on 20th January, 1948 setting up the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to investigate and mediate the dispute. A resolution adopted by the UNCIP on 5th January, 1949 is described by some jurists as a supplementary to the UN resolution passed on 13th August 1948, which approved a ceasefire and ascertaining the future status of the territory in accordance with the will of people. Following are the salient of the subject resolution:
1. The question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscites.
2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations will, in agreement with the Commission, nominate a Plebiscites Administrator.
3. The Plebiscites Administrator shall derive from the State of Jammu and Kashmir the powers he considers necessary for organizing and of the plebiscites.
The status of Jammu and Kashmir has been in dispute between India and Pakistan since both became independent in 1947. A U.N. commission obtained acceptance on January 5, 1949 by both parties of a peace plan involving a cease fire, demilitarization of the state and a plebiscite under the supervision of a U.N. appointed administrator. The Security Council urged that the people of Kashmir will have right of self-determination to decide the future status of their homeland. The resolution was negotiated with both India and Pakistan and accepted by all five members of the Commission, Argentina, Belgium, Columbia, Czechoslovakia and the United States. The cease-fire took effect accordingly, but the plan bogged down when India balked at implementing the demilitarization phase, which envisioned a synchronized withdrawal by the forces of both India & Pakistan. The situation lapsed into a stalemate.
On November 2, 1947, Prime Minister Nehru reiterated, “We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people. That pledge we have given and the Maharaja supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but to the world. We will not and cannot back out of it."
The train of broken promises over Kashmir might be forgiven if the consequences were innocuous or inconsequential. India exerts an iron-fisted rule over Kashmir. With approximately 700,000 military and paramilitary troops in the territory, gruesome human rights violations are perpetrated with immunity. Torture, rape, plunder, abduction, arson, custodial disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and ruthless suppression of peaceful political dissent have become commonplaces.
Today however, the international community is upholding the position of principle that the future status of Kashmir must be ascertained in accordance with the wishes and the aspirations of the people. It was also upheld equally by the world powers, including the United States, Britain and France when Kashmir dispute erupted in 1948.
Firdous Shah appreciating the role of Pakistan and its nation towards the Kashmir issue and has full faith over the government of Pakistan and people of Pakistan who are supporting the cause of Kashmir and will support our struggle till its logical conclusion in any manner.