19 July 1947 remains defining political, constitutional milestone in history of Kashmir freedom movement: Masood Khan
Islamabad: Former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has said that the historic Accession to Pakistan Resolution adopted on 19 July 1947 was the democratic expression of the overwhelming will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and remains a defining political and constitutional milestone in the history of the Kashmir freedom movement.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sardar Masood Khan addressing a seminar stated that the resolution reflected the aspirations of the Muslim majority of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their future in accordance with their identity, geography, economic interests and cultural affinity with Pakistan.
He recalled that the resolution, passed under the leadership of Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, declared that the State of Jammu and Kashmir should accede to Pakistan. He observed that this decision was rooted in the principles that later shaped the partition of the Subcontinent and was consistent with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir long before the events of October 1947.
Tracing the historical evolution of the Kashmir movement, Sardar Masood Khan said the struggle for freedom gathered momentum after the martyrdom of the 22 Kashmiris on 13 July 1931, which awakened the political consciousness of the people against Dogra rule.
He noted that decades of political repression, forced labour, discriminatory taxation and denial of fundamental rights convinced the people that their future lay with Pakistan. He added that the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir drew inspiration from the vision of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, while the establishment of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference strengthened the movement for accession.
Sardar Masood Khan further observed that the Indian Independence Act of 1947 gave princely states the option to accede to either Pakistan or India, and the Accession to Pakistan Resolution represented the lawful and democratic exercise of that choice by the recognised political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir.
Concluding his remarks, Sardar Masood Khan urged young Pakistanis and Kashmiris to study the authentic history of the Kashmir movement and preserve the legacy of those who struggled and sacrificed for freedom.
