‘Our principled position on territorial
disputes remains a bedrock of our foreign policy.
We will continue to support the right of
the people of Jammu & Kashmir to peacefully choose their destiny in
accordance with the UN Security Council's long-standing resolutions on
this matter.’ President of Pakistan
Asif Ali Zardari.
____________________________________________________
Pakistan’s President Zardari and
India’s Minister External Affairs Krishna spoke about Kashmir in the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Many
Kashmiris and Pakistanis will claim that
Pakistan has, once again, raised the
Kashmir dispute in the UN. It must be pointed out that the
Kashmir dispute was taken to the Security Council by
India under Article 35 on 1 January
1948. Although both institutions are part of the United Nations, both
have different roles; and many regard the General Assembly as a debating
forum where world leaders come and speak on various topics, just like at
the Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, London.
Also the occasion provides the leaders
an opportunity to meet and discuss issues of interest with leaders of
other countries. Of course it is seen as a good opportunity to meet
different American leaders and officials. So comments of President
Zardari (India avoids mentioning of the Kashmir dispute at any international forum, and
Krishna’s comments were in response to what Zardari had said) cannot be regarded
as ‘raising the Kashmir dispute’
in the UN.
Pakistani leaders in the past even
avoided mentioning Kashmir in the General Assembly; however, it was
unavoidable this time because the UN theme for the occasion was
“Adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by
peaceful means”. Anyhow, we people of Jammu and Kashmir claim that the
Kashmir dispute is not a territorial in nature; and that it concerns our
unfettered right of self determination. However, President of Pakistan
Asif Ali Zardari in his speech said:
‘Our principled position on territorial
disputes remains a bedrock of our foreign policy.
We will continue to support the right of
the people of Jammu & Kashmir to peacefully choose their destiny in
accordance with the UN Security Council's long-standing resolutions on
this matter.’
People of Jammu and Kashmir can evaluate
this statement and see if the President of Republic of Pakistan has
advanced the cause of Kashmir by calling it a ‘territorial dispute’; or backstabbed it. Dr Nazir
Gilani was the first Kashmir to
express his opinion on this topic and credit must be given to him for
this, he said:
‘However, it is untrue that Kashmir is a
‘territorial dispute’ and it is also untrue that it “remains a bedrock
of our (Pakistan’s) foreign policy” since 19-23 June 1997 India-Pakistan
talks held at Islamabad. The talks on outstanding issues of concern,
were held “in an integrated manner”. At this meeting Kashmir as a ‘core issue’ slipped from its traditional grace and became as one
of the eight outstanding issues. It was decided that Peace and Security
including CBMs (confidence building measures) and Jammu and Kashmir,
will be dealt at the level of Foreign Secretaries who will co-ordinate
and monitor the progress of work of all the working groups’.
Those who keep close eye on Kashmir
dispute know that various governments of Pakistan have gradually shifted
their stand on Kashmir, and have virtually made it a territorial dispute. However, despite so
many shifts, Pakistani officials don’t forget to reiterate that they
have a ‘principled stand’ on
Kashmir. We know Pakistani stand on Kashmir is ‘principled’ to the extent that, like
India, they also want to get Jammu and
Kashmir and benefit from its resources and strategic location. And if
they cannot get the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir they will be
satisfied to ‘legalise’ their control over the Kashmiri territory they
have; and they have taken certain steps in this regard. We people of
Jammu and Kashmir must
critically look at the intentions of New Delhi and Islamabad and should
not be swayed by their statements.
Indian Minister External Affairs, SM
Krishna, in his reply said: "An unwarranted reference has been made to
Jammu and Kashmir from this podium. Our principled position on the issue
has been consistent and is well known - the people of
Jammu and Kashmir have chosen
and reaffirmed their destiny repeatedly through India's well established
democratic processes. We wish to make it abundantly clear that Jammu and
Kashmir is an integral part of India."
Krishna acknowledged that he did not
‘expect that President Zardari would make a reference to Kashmir’; and
once, for whatever reason, President Zardari talked of Kashmir, India
had to reiterate their official stand, legally wrong as it is. He said,
‘nothing more needs to be read to the statements on the issue either
from him or Zardari’.
What that means is that both governments
have agreed on a road map on Kashmir, and understanding was that both governments would avoid talking about
it at the international fora, and ‘resolve’ it bilaterally. In a reply
to a question, Krishna was quick
to say: "We will continue our dialogue with
Pakistan and the road map has
been drawn and we will try to stick to the road map and let us see how
it goes."
Krishna needs to be reminded that a much
bigger and popular leader than him, Prime Minister of India, Pundit
Nehru in a report to the All-India Congress Committee, (6 July 1951, The
Statesman, New Delhi,) said: “People seem to forget that Kashmir is not
a commodity for sale or to be bartered. It has an individual existence
and its people must be the final arbiters of their future.”
Apart from that, while talking to the
Indian Parliament on 31 March 1955, Prime Minister Nehru said: “Kashmir is not a thing to be bandied about between
India and Pakistan but it has a soul of
its own and an individuality of its own. Nothing can be done without the
goodwill and consent of the people of Kashmir.”
Both Krishna and Zardari need to be
reminded that in view of genuine sons of Jammu and Kashmir State, the
Kashmir dispute is not a territorial; as it concerns our unfettered
right to self determination. To us, the entire State is disputed and no
part of it is legally part of any country, so there is no question of it
being ‘integral part’ of India or ‘jugular vein’ of Pakistan. You will
be doing a disservice to people of Jammu and Kashmir and to peace and
stability of the entire region, if you ignore wishes of the people Jammu
and Kashmir and impose some decision on us.
_____________________________________________________
By Shabir Choudhry.
Writer is a political analyst and author
of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir
Affairs.
Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com
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