APPEAL TO ALL JUSTICE-LOVING PEOPLE (Guest Post by Quayyum Raja)

IN THE LIGHT OF 25 YEARS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND 65 YEARS INDO-PAK HISTORY

QUAYYUM RAJA:  

HEAD OF DIPLOMATIC MISSION FOR KASHMIR LIBERATION CONFERENCE

I have been acting as a Kashmiri political activist for the past 25 years and served 22 years in prison for Kashmir Cause. I was born in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir and completed my Master in Social Sciences and Psychology in the UK. I am among the founders of the on-going struggle for Kashmir independence. Although we demanded complete independence both from India and Pakistan right at the outset, many Kashmiris considered Pakistan as a supporter and advocate of their cause and India as an aggressor and occupier. However, 25 years experiences of my struggle and 65 years history of India and Pakistan has proven that there is no difference between India and Pakistan. Those Kashmiris who argue it otherwise are either naïve or biased who only confuse and complicate their issue. 

The following will prove my claim:

- Pakistan invaded Kashmir on 22 October 1947, giving India an excuse to invade on 27 October 1947. 

- According to a United Nations resolution of 13 August 1948, Kashmir was an International Issue, which had to be solved according to the wishes of the people of Kashmir. However, Pakistan persuaded the UN to pass another resolution on 5 January 1949, which replaced “Kashmir Question” with India-Pakistan Question. The hidden agenda was to change internationality of Kashmir into a bilateral issue.

- As a result of 1965 war between India and Pakistan, they signed the Tashkent Agreement on 10 January 1966 instigated by Russia. Pakistan once again ignored the Kashmiri representation.

- Pakistan signed Simla Agreement with India, following the 1971 war. Pakistan agreed to change Ceasefire Line of Kashmir into a Control Line. Pakistan merged Azad Kashmir army with Pakistan army. 

- India and Pakistan signed a third agreement in Lahore on 21 February 1999, which confirmed the previous agreements. Kashmir was not allowed representation once again.

- The Provisional Government of Azad Kashmir was set up on 24 October 1947. It was to act as a successor of the Maharaja of Kashmir, but Pakistan reduced it to a local authority. Pakistan got a temporary control of Gilgit-Baltistan or the Northern Aareas under a bilateral agreement with Azad Kashmir on 21 April 1949, but Pakistan abused the agreement and occupied the territory, declaring it as its fifth province 2 years ago.

 We started a National Independence Movement to re-unite Kashmir back in mid 1980s. However, Pakistan infiltrated and turned it into religious war between Hindus and Muslims. Pakistan imposed Hurryet Conference on our National Movement as our representative, which has only commercialized the Kashmir Freedom Movement. Therefore, we all founders of the Freedom Movement reject the Hurryet Conference.

 We have reformed and cleansed our genuine movement. We do not consider only Indian part of Kashmir as an occupied territory, but also the territories under Pakistan and China. Most of the Kashmiris want complete independence. India and Pakistan were created from the British India. Kashmir was never a part of British India. In any event, India and Pakistan cannot snatch Kashmir from each other. 

There is no military solution to Kashmir conflict. 

 We appeal to all peace and justice-loving people of the world to persuade India and Pakistan to withdraw their troops from Kashmir, allowing the divided families to reunite themselves and let Muslims and non-Muslims live in peace and harmony as before the forced division. The solution of Kashmir would allow India and Pakistan to concentrate on the economic conditions of their own people, who deserve a better future.