Article: Solidarity Day underscores Pakistan’s commitment to standing by Kashmiri people
Hadi ul Hassan
The Kashmir solidarity is commemorated each year on February 05, amplifies the voices of those in Jammu and Kashmir who continue to seek justice and freedom under tyranny of forces of darkness. The suppression, oppression, repression and barbarism India has fostered in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is unexplainable. This day underscores Pakistan’s commitment to standing by Kashmiri people in their struggle for their legitimate rights. It divulges Pakistan’s commitment to the cause and efforts to secede from India and to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs.
Kashmir is an ethnically varied Himalayan region, covering around 86000 sq miles. It is famed for its unparalleled beauty and extremely mesmerizing captivating sites. Before partition the area was hotly contested under partition plans. The unjust division by Radcliff and maharajas inclination due to religion biases toward India has further aggravated the dispute, however Kashmir was free to accede, and majority was willing for Pakistan. Pakistan being helmsman and torch bearer of anti discrimination has always condemned the violence based intentions of India, branding it illegal and pledging to exercise all possible way out. Pakistan also demoted diplomatic ties and put up all trades, witnessing Kashmir to be the jugular vein both in letter and in spirit. Kashmir remains the most militarized zone of the world. The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for more than 7 decades. Since partition the nuclear armed neighbors’ have fought three wars over the Muslim majority territory and claims it full but controls in part.
The maharaja, Hari singh was the Hindu head of the Muslim majority state sandwiched between two countries. He maintained an interim standstill agreement to maintain transport with Pakistan. In October 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded Kashmir, spurred by reports of attacks on Muslims and frustrated by Hari Singh delaying tactics. The maharaja asked for Indian military assistance. India’s governor general believed peace would best be served by Kashmir joining India on a temporary basis, pending a vote on its ultimate status. Hari singh signed the instrument of accession on that month, ceding control over foreign and defense policy to India
Indian troops rather seized 2/3 of territory and Pakistan took the northern remainder. Whether this treaty or the entry of Indian troops came first remains a major source of dispute between India and Pakistan. India insists that Hari singh signed first hereby legitimizing the presence of their troops. Pakistan is adamant that the maharaja couldn’t have signed before the troops arrived and India had therefore ignored the standstill agreement. Pakistan demands a referendum to decide the status of Kashmir while India argues her stubborn narratives. Pakistan cites numerous UN resolutions in favor of a UN run referendum but the UN is utterly silent. The flag bearer of worlds so called biggest democracy, Narendra Modi has shown ignorance toward this grave issue
In decades no significant movement has been reported and for the independence option neither Pakistan nor India is prepared to contemplate. The situation has further averse from last decades. Reporting on Kashmir from India mainstream media is deeply politicized. Each body in IIOJK works under strict curfew and faces threats from the Indian military. Internet access is sporadic and texts are regularly blocked. Unprecedented restriction has put Kashmir into a state of lockdown. Information has only trickled out since Aug 2019 when article 370 was revoked. Jammu and Kashmir remain the core dispute between Pakistan and India. Its resolution is indispensable for the dream for peace.
Pakistan has always maintained the stance for holding a plebiscite in Kashmir as stipulated in a UN resolution; Pakistan has always supported the Kashmir struggle in both letter and spirit. India after abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A has stripped Kashmir of its status of an independent state but Pakistan has always denied it with utter resilience.
